To begin, wash the peppers, cut off the tops, and carefully remove the seeds and membranes. Keep the tops aside as they can be used as lids. Transition to preparing the filling.

In a large bowl, combine minced pork, minced beef, rice, onion, garlic, egg, paprika, pepper, and salt. Mix by hand until the ingredients are well incorporated but not overworked. Move on to stuffing the peppers.

Fill each pepper loosely with the meat and rice mixture, leaving a little space at the top as rice will expand while cooking. Place the tops back on if desired. Continue to prepare the sauce.

In a large pot, heat sunflower oil or lard. Stir in flour and cook until lightly golden, forming a roux. Sprinkle in paprika and stir quickly before it burns. Proceed to add tomato passata.

Add tomato passata, water or stock, bay leaves, sugar, and salt. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. The sauce should be slightly thin at this stage, as it will thicken during cooking. Next, add the peppers.

Carefully place stuffed peppers upright into the pot. Ensure the sauce almost covers the peppers; add more water if needed. Transition to cooking gently.

Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 60–75 minutes until the peppers are tender and the filling is fully cooked. Stir the sauce occasionally to prevent sticking. Move on to final adjustments.

Taste the sauce and adjust with additional salt or sugar if required. If the sauce is too thin, remove the peppers briefly and reduce the sauce before returning them. Transition to final preparation.

Serve the peppers with generous spoonfuls of the tomato sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and a dollop of sour cream. Presentation tip: Arrange in a wide serving dish so the peppers sit snugly in the sauce.