Nana Sue’s Ma’hasha

Sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups water

• In a pot, warm oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add tomatoes and continue to sauté for two minutes.
• Add tomato paste, garlic, lemon juice, sugar and water.
• Stir well, lower heat and allow to simmer for a half hour.

2 large white onions
7 medium zucchini or Mexican squash,
halved crosswise
4 medium tomatoes
12 silver beet leaves, soaked and drained
2 beets, peeled and cut into thin slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Slit the onions from top to bottom, halfway to the middle.
• Boil the onions for 10 to 15 minutes until the layers can be detached. Drain and leave to cool.

Core the middle of the zucchini and tomatoes and reserve the inside of the vegetables to put in the skillet with stuffed vegetables.

Stuffing

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice

1/2 lb ground beef

1 small onion, finely diced

1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• In a large bowl, mix all the stuffing ingredients together.
• Coat the bottom of a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Fill the zucchini with stuffing and arrange on the outer edges of the skillet.
• Stuff the onions and tomatoes and arrange in the center of the skillet.
• Place stuffing in the middle of the beet leaves and wrap to form a small cigar. Arrange stuffed beet leaves between the zucchini. Arrange slices of beetroot around the vegetables.
• Cook vegetables on low heat for about two minutes, then pour sauce over the stuffed vegetables. Simmer over medium-high heat for five minutes.
• Cook covered over low heat for about an hour or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add a little water if necessary to prevent the vegetables from burning.