Use lamb shoulder or leg, about 4 lbs in managable pieces and brown all over. Add a minced onion and brown that too. Now add salt and pepper to taste, a 3" stick of cinnamon and 2 tbsp of tomato paste mixed with 1 cup hot water. Cover and simmer for some 20 minutes and then remove cinnamon stick.

Now transfer if necessary to a buttered Yuvetsi or oven-proof casserole.

Add 1 Qt. Of stock (chicken is fine or what have you) Orzo ( Kritharaki to a Greek) 2 cups poured over and leveled out.

Now bake at 375F for 40 minutes or so or until the lamb is tender and liquid has absorbed. Stir, uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes or so covered with a dry kitchen towel.

The recipe is named for the earthenware pot with the clay-coloured interior and curved handles used to cook this typical dish.

The recipe I use may be considered to be in the Cyprus style. Technically a Yuvetsi can be made with any type of pasta, macaroni etc., but to me a real yuvetsi is always made with kritharaki.

From archives of rec. Food. Recipes