Stuffed capsicums are also a dish you would find at Greek family functions, so as an adult I, of course, make them for my family.

Sarah says…

I grew up on the North Shore of Sydney, in a suburb called Killara – if anyone knows Sydney, they’ll know it’s not a suburb inhabited by Greeks. The Sydney Greeks all liked to live around Kensington and Kingsford, so growing up on the North Shore meant I was in a minority. I also grew up in a home where my paternal Greek grandfather – a retiree, widower and a fantastic cook – lived with us.

I can only feel blessed because having my Papou live with my family meant that he did all the cooking. I grew up on a Mediterranean diet, and feel that this could be the starting point for my love of good produce and healthy eating. It paved the way for me to be a clinical nutritionist today. Did you know that just one capsicum can give you 166 per cent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C? They’re amazing for immunity and iron.

Papou brought the Mediterranean to our home. He cooked all the traditional recipes he was raised on: baked artichokes, pilafi, spanakopita, village salads, baked fish, wild greens, split pea dishes and so much more. When he would stuff a capsicum with a mix of rice and ground beef, I would watch him as a little girl and think it was so hard to do, so complicated. I remember thinking how talented he was as he would add herbs, mix it all together and then bake it.

Stuffed capsicums are also a dish you would find at Greek family functions, so as an adult I, of course, make them for my family. They are actually surprisingly easy and quick to make. When I cook these, I really do get memories flooding back to me, back to the thoughts of an eight-year-old Sarah.

 

MY MEDITERRANEAN LIFE BY SARAH DI LORENZO IS OUT NOW.

 

Stuffed Capsicums

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 capsicums, halved lengthwise and deseeded
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
Salt and pepper
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup cooked brown rice
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh basil
100g feta, crumbled, to serve

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place the capsicum halves on the tray. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes.
In a frying pan, cook the onion and garlic with the olive oil for a few minutes until translucent.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook for a few more minutes, stirring to combine.
Fill the roasted capsicum halves with the mixture and serve with the feta sprinkled over the top. Enjoy with a leafy green salad.

 

Published in ed#734