Recipe
Punjene paprike
Bell peppers stuffed with beef, pork and rice, simmered low and slow in tomato sauce and finished with a golden paprika roux - the Sunday lunch of the Balkans. Every family insists theirs is the only true version; this one will not embarrass you.
Punjene paprike takes about 105 minutes and makes 4 servings. Each serving has 715 kcal.
- Preparation
- 30 minutes
- Cooking
- 75 minutes
- Total time
- 105 minutes
- Servings
- 4
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 715 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 42 g
Ingredients
- Red and yellow bell peppers8 pcs
- Ground beef400 g
- Ground pork200 g
- Long-grain rice100 g
- Red onion1 pc
- Garlic2 cloves
- Egg1 pc
- Canned peeled tomatoes400 g
- Tomato paste2 tbsp
- Sweet paprika1 tbsp
- All-purpose flour2 tbsp
- Sunflower oil3 tbsp
- Bay leaf1 pc
- Salt1 pinch
- Pepper1 pinch
Instructions
- 1
Sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic in a spoonful of oil until soft and translucent.
- 2
In a bowl, combine the beef, pork, rinsed rice, egg, cooled onion, half the paprika, salt and pepper. Knead briefly until even.
- 3
Cut the tops off the peppers and pull out the seeds. Fill each pepper loosely with the meat mixture.
Tip: Fill only three-quarters full - the rice swells as it cooks and needs the headroom.
- 4
Stand the peppers upright and snug in a wide pot. Add the crushed canned tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf and enough hot water to almost cover. Salt lightly.
- 5
Bring to a quiet simmer, cover and cook gently until the peppers are soft and the filling is cooked through.
- 6
For the zafrig, heat the remaining oil in a small pan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until hazelnut gold. Off the heat, stir in the rest of the paprika.
Tip: Add the paprika only off the heat - it burns in seconds and turns the whole sauce bitter.
- 7
Whisk a ladle of the cooking liquid into the zafrig, pour it back into the pot, shake the pot gently to blend and simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes.
- 8
Let the peppers rest a few minutes, then serve with bread or mashed potatoes.
Cooking methods
On the stove
Keep the pot at the laziest possible simmer - one or two bubbles breaking the surface. On gas that means the smallest flame with the lid on; a heat diffuser helps on strong burners. Shake the pot rather than stirring, so the peppers stay whole.
On induction
Bring to a boil at level 7, then hold the simmer at 2–3 with the lid on. Induction holds a low setting very steadily, which suits this dish perfectly. Make the zafrig in a small pan at level 5 - it browns faster than you expect.
Over an open fire
A pot of stuffed peppers over dying embers is old-school in the best way. Keep it at the edge of the fire where it barely bubbles and turn the pot occasionally. Make the zafrig in a small pan directly on the embers, stirring without pause.
Recipe questions
- How long does this recipe take?
- Plan for about 105 minutes from start to finish.
- How many servings does this recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings.
- Can I cook this recipe on induction?
- Yes. Bring to a boil at level 7, then hold the simmer at 2–3 with the lid on. Induction holds a low setting very steadily, which suits this dish perfectly. Make the zafrig in a small pan at level 5 - it browns faster than you expect.
- Can I cook this recipe over an open fire?
- Yes. A pot of stuffed peppers over dying embers is old-school in the best way. Keep it at the edge of the fire where it barely bubbles and turn the pot occasionally. Make the zafrig in a small pan directly on the embers, stirring without pause.
In the app
Cooking the way it should feel
One step on screen, a timer that keeps going, and clear progress until the dish is done.
