Albanian Stuffed Peppers

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wash 6 bell peppers, cut off the tops and set them aside to use as lids, then remove the seeds and membranes.

Finely chop 2 onions and 3 garlic cloves. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet, sauté the onion for 2–3 minutes until soft, add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Add 400 g ground beef and cook, breaking up any lumps, until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in 400 g crushed tomatoes, 30 g parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and black pepper to taste.

Pour in 250 ml water, bring the filling to a boil, add 100 g rinsed rice and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. The rice should stay half-cooked and the mixture moist, not dry.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let the filling cool for 15 minutes. Fill the peppers about three-quarters full without packing the mixture down, so the rice has room to expand; cover with the reserved tops.

Arrange the stuffed peppers snugly in a baking dish, pour the remaining tomato filling and juices into the bottom, and cover the dish with foil.

Bake for 35 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the filling is fully cooked through. Serve hot or warm.