Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup uncooked rice
1/4 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
2 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Six to eight (depending on size) green bell peppers, tops removed, seeded, but kept whole
1 cup water
Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and saute the onions, stirring frequently, until light brown.

Add the rice and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the pine nuts and cook an additional minute (no longer). Add the water, tomato paste, salt, pepper, allspice, and cinnamon, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Add the mint and lemon juice and toss gently with a fork to mix and fluff the rice. Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture and place them in a large casserole.

Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the baking dish and bake covered in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 45 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Allow to cool and remove the remaining water from the bottom of the baking dish.

Chill the peppers in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with lemon wedges.

Recipe makes 6 to 8 servings and qualifies as a vegetarian recipe.

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