Töltött Paprika (Stuffed Peppers)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F and wait for the indicator light or beep to confirm it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Cut the onion in half lengthwise from root to tip, then place the flat side down and slice crosswise into thin strips about the width of a pencil lead.

Step 3

Hold each bell pepper upright and carefully cut out the top around the stem in a circle about 1.5 inches across, like cutting a lid; remove and discard the stem and seeds inside using your fingers.

Step 4

In a large oven-safe skillet or baking dish, combine the ground meat, rice, sliced onion, and salt and pepper; mix with your hands until evenly blended, about 1 minute.

Step 5

Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions and spoon one portion into the hollow center of each pepper, packing gently with the back of a spoon so it fills the pepper snugly.

Step 6

Pour the crushed tomatoes and their liquid around the stuffed peppers in the bottom of the skillet, not over the tops.

Step 7

Cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and slide it into the preheated oven.

Step 8

Bake for 30 minutes until the peppers are very soft when pierced with a fork and the sauce is bubbling gently around the edges.

Step 9

Remove the skillet from the oven using an oven mitt on both hands and let it cool for 2 minutes before serving.