Stuffed peppers in tomato sauce

Ingredients

For the filling

• 6 medium bell peppers
• 1 medium onion (150 g)
• 30 ml olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon pepper paste
• 200 g rice
• 100 ml boiling water
• 250 g ground pork
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Delikat seasoning
• 5 g fresh thyme
• 5 g basil

For simmering

• 1500 ml water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the sauce

• 30 ml olive oil
• 240 g tomato paste
• 240 g canned chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 250 ml pepper cooking liquid

To serve

• 150 g full-fat sour cream (at least 20% fat)

Preparation

1. Wash the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. 2. Chop the onion and sauté it in 30 ml olive oil for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the paprika and pepper paste, then the rice and 100 ml boiling water. Stir and cook for 3 more minutes. 3. Turn off the heat. Stir in the ground pork, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the Delikat seasoning, thyme and basil. Fill the peppers without packing in the mixture. 4. Arrange the peppers in a saucepan, pour 1500 ml water over them and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, until softened but still holding their shape. Reserve 250 ml of the cooking liquid and drain the rest. 5. Heat the oven to 200°C. Heat 30 ml olive oil in a frying pan, add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, then 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the sugar. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, until it starts to boil, then gradually add the 250 ml cooking liquid until the sauce is thick. 6. Transfer the peppers to a deep ceramic baking dish and pour the sauce over them. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until browned and the sauce has reduced. Serve with sour cream.