Stuffed Peppers (Filane paprike)
Stuffed peppers cooked in tomato sauce belong to a broad family of dishes that spread across Central and Southeastern Europe through the shared history of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. The practice of stuffing vegetables with meat and grains is older, but peppers themselves only reached Europe after the Columbian exchange in the 16th century.
Once peppers became established, their thin walls and hollow shape made them well suited for stuffing. By the 18th and 19th centuries, stuffed peppers were common from Hungary and Slovenia to Serbia and Bosnia, with local variations shaped by available ingredients and regional tastes. In wealthier households the filling contained more meat, while in more modest kitchens rice played a larger role. The tomato-based sauce, now considered essential, became widespread only in the 19th century, after tomatoes were fully accepted into European cooking.
Today, filane paprike are prepared across the region in many small variations, differing mainly in the choice of peppers, the ratio of meat to rice, and the seasoning of the sauce. In Slovenia they are usually called polnjene paprike (or filane paprike in my dialect) and served with bread or mashed potatoes.
Recipe
4-6 peppers (In Slovenia, a variety called “babura” is usually used. The best peppers for stuffing are thin-walled varieties, such as bell peppers, as they cook just right and hold the meat filling well during cooking.)
Filling
2 tbsp oil+ 1 tbsp oil
2 onions (about 120 g), finely chopped
500 g ground meat (mixed pork & beef)
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp + 1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp vegeta seasoning (optional)
1 bay leaf
100 g rice
1 egg
salt, pepper (to taste)
1 bunch parsley
Sauce
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp of sugar
425 g (1 can) tomato purée
1 bay leaf
1 celery stalk, sliced in half
750 ml vegetable or beef stock
1/2 tbsp salt or more to taste
Instructions:
Filling
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the ground meat, paprika, tomato paste, and Vegeta, and cook for about 15 minutes, breaking the meat up into very small crumbles as it cooks. Add the garlic and chopped parsley, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, put the rice in a small pan with 150 ml of water and cook over low heat until the water has evaporated and the rice is tender. Let cool.
Whisk the egg and add it to the cooled meat mixture together with the rice. Mix well.
Making Stuffed Peppers
Prepare the peppers: cut off the tops and remove the seeds. Fill the peppers with the meat mixture.
For the sauce, caramelize 2 tablespoons of sugar, then add 4 tablespoons of oil. Stir in the tomato purée, bay leaf, 1/2 tablespoon salt (or to taste), and the celery stalk. Ladle in some of the hot stock and mix well to form a smooth sauce.
Gently place the stuffed peppers into the sauce. Add more stock or water if needed so the peppers are fully covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1-1½ hours, depending on how soft you want the peppers to be.
For best flavor, let the stuffed peppers rest for a few hours (or overnight), then reheat before serving.
Serve with bread or mashed potatoes.