The only reason a stuffed pepper bursts is overfilling. Rice doubles as it cooks; fill the pepper to the brim and the lid pops off and the filling spills into the pan. Three quarters is the right measure.
Ingredients
For the dolma
For cooking
Method
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Prepare the peppers
Cut the stalk end off as a lid and clean out the seeds. Rinse the insides and stand them upside down to drain.
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Make the filling
Fry the onion in butter for 5 minutes, add the mince and cook until it takes its liquid back up. Add the tomato paste and tomato and cook for 3 minutes.
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Stir in the rice
Take off the heat and stir in the rice, salt, pepper and parsley. Do not cook the rice.
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Fill
Fill the peppers to three quarters and set the lids you cut back on top.
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Pack the pan
Stand them in the pan packed tightly, openings upwards.
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Cook
Dissolve the tomato paste in hot water and pour it in from the side. Put an upturned plate on top and cook over a low heat for 50 minutes.
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Rest
Take off the heat and leave covered for 15 minutes.
Tips
- Do not fill to the brim; the rice doubles and the pepper bursts.
- Pack them in tightly, because with gaps between them they tip over as they cook and lose their filling.
- Do not throw away leftover filling; stuff a tomato or a courgette and put it in the same pan.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.