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1
In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
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2
Add the onion, garlic, and celery and cook until the onion is soft and clear, 3 to 4 minutes.
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3
Add the ground meat and brown lightly.
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4
Skim the excess fat.
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5
Dice the tomatoes and add both the tomatoes and their juice (or tomato paste and water) to the meat.
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6
Add the herbs, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
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7
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
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8
Add the rice and simmer until almost all the liquid has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.
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9
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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10
While the rice and meat mixture is simmering, slice off enough of the stem end of each bell pepper to expose the whole cavity.
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11
Reserve the tops.
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12
Remove the seeds and ribs from the pepper cavities and rinse with water.
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13
Use a spoon to fill each pepper loosely with the meat mixture, leaving room for the filling to expand.
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14
Replace the tops.
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15
Place the stuffed peppers in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and pour in water to a depth of about 1/2 inch.
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16
Bake, basting every 15 minutes, until the rice in the filling is tender, about 1 hour.
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17
(Add more water if the dish becomes dry, and cover the peppers with aluminum foil if they begin to turn brown.)
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18
Serve immediately.
