Lamb Giouvetsi
Giouvetsi – also spelt yiouvetsi or youvetsi – is Greek comfort food at its best. A hearty casserole of tender meat (lamb in our case), pasta and a rich tomato sauce, it’s the kind of dish that makes the whole house smell amazing and brings everyone rushing to the table. Traditionally baked in the oven, it’s just as easy to cook on the hob for a quicker, family-friendly version that’s every bit as satisfying.
Preparation: 15–20 mins
Cooking: 65–80 mins
Serves: 4
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 600g lamb shoulder or leg, cubed
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, diced
- 150ml red wine
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 2–3 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 600ml hot lamb stock
- 400g chopped tomatoes (tinned or fresh)
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 300g orzo pasta
- A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- 80g feta cheese, cubed
Recipe
- Warm 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat.
- Pat the lamb dry before adding it to the pan and browning it all over for about 7–10 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a large plate.
- Add the remaining oil to the same pan and sauté the onions until translucent (2–3 minutes). Include the garlic and then the carrot, frying each for another minute.
- Return the lamb to the pan, pour in the wine and add the spices and herbs. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half, then stir in the lamb stock and tomatoes.
- Bring to the boil, mix in the tomato purée, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, until the lamb is cooked through.
- Stir in the orzo, cover again and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the pasta is just tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove the bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon stick, and scatter over the parsley and feta before serving.
Enjoy alongside crusty bread and a crisp green salad.
Keep the flavours of the Med going with: