A Cypriot-inspired dish known as Yiouvetsi or lamb with orzo casserole. Perfect for feeding a big family, or a crowd. One of our favourites.
One-Pot Cypriot Lamb
Delicious and comforting and very easy to make. Orzo is a type of pasta, shaped like slightly larger grains of rice. If you can't find orzo, try macaroni, or any very small pasta shapes.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500g lamb, chopped into very small cubes (leg steaks or neck works well)
- 2 white onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled, grated
- 2 tsp tomato puree
- 400g tin plum tomatoes
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp. fresh or dried oregano
- 1 litre lamb or chicken stock
- 250g orzo pasta
- Large handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 100g feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large casserole pot and brown the lamb pieces, ideally in batches, making sure the first lot is brown before moving on and browning the next amount. Lift each batch out of the pan and set to one side until all of it has browned. Keep the browned lamb covered with a plate.
- Add a second tablespoon of oil to the pan add the onions, scraping the bottom of the pan where the lamb has been browning.
- Cook the onions very gently for 10 minutes until softened. Add a few tablespoons of water to help the onions along and keep the pan from drying out.
- Add the garlic and tomato puree, stir and cook for a further five minutes.
- Tip the browned lamb back in, add the tin of tomatoes and then half fill the can with water and tip that in. Add the cinnamon and dried or fresh oregano. Cook on a low, gentle heat for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Bread up the tomatoes with a spoon if they were whole and not chopped.
- Stir the orzo into the casserole pan, stir well and pour over the stock. Cook, uncovered, for a further 10-11min or until the orzo is tender. It should not be too soft, but rather al dente. Season with lots of salt and pepper.
- Once cooked, carefully spoon onto a large serving dish, sprinkle over the fresh mint and the crumbled feta. Serve immediately.
Courses Main
Cuisine Cypriot
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Leyla Kazim says
Oh my frickedy dickedy – this looks / reads great Ren! This sort of food is right up my strada 🙂
Leyla Kazim says
Oh my frickedy dickedy – this looks and reads great Ren. Right up my strada 🙂
Emily @amummytoo says
Beautiful dish and beautiful, warm photography as ever. You’ve inspired me to get some orzo and experiment.
Sally - My Custard Pie says
I wouldn’t have thought of pasta in connection with Greek cooking. Would also like to visit Cyprus – more too it than sandy beaches.
kate @veggie desserts says
This looks so pretty. I don’t use orzo nearly enough and usually just in salad – it sounds great in a winter one-pot meal!
Jan @GlugofOil says
I could eat that right now, I love orzo and anything with feta has to be good!
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
I have made a dish like tis before and loved it. Anything that can be cooked in one pot makes so much sense at this time of year. It is one for all the family too and I also like adding fresh mint, it gives a lovely freshness to the dish.