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Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients: 8-10 sweet peppers

The stuffing: 1 onion, chopped ¼ cup oil 1 cup rice 250 g. (9 oz.) beef, ground finely 1 tomato, grated 3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped 1 tsp. paprika Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon baharat spice mix (may substitute cinnamon and ground ginger to taste)

The sauce: 3 tbsp. tomato paste 2 cloves garlic, crushed Pinch of sugar Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the wide bases off the peppers to form lids and set aside. Remove the white membrane and seeds and discard.
Prepare the stuffing: Fry the onions in oil until golden, add the rice and stir until it becomes opaque. Add the ground meat and fry for about 5 minutes, crumbling the meat with a fork. Add the grated tomato, chopped parsley, and spices. Mix well and remove from the stove.
Prepare the sauce: Put the tomato paste, garlic, and spices in a wide shallow saucepan; add 1 cup water and bring to a boil.
Stuff each pepper to three quarters its capacity (the rice swells during cooking) and arrange the peppers close together in the saucepan containing the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the stuffing and cover each pepper with its lid.
Bring to a boil, cover the saucepan and reduce the heat. Cook for about one hour, until the rice is done (but not mushy). Occasionally spoon some of the sauce over the stuffing to prevent it from drying out. Serves 4–5.