
Giouvetsi is a Greek dish made with beef or lamb and orzo pasta, and it’s one of the most popular dishes in Greece.
It is characteristically baked in a clay pot, , and served with grated cheese. perfect for a comforting family dinner.
ingredients :
1 kg diced beef (neck, chuck or shank)
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
2-3 carrots, sliced
350gr chopped tomatoes
2 tbsps tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1 glass of red wine
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup of olive oil
240gr orzo pasta
100g grated Greek kefalotyri
Directions:
Heat 1/2 of a cup of olive oil into a pan, add the chopped onions and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes in medium-low heat.
Add the meat and cook until golden brown.
Stir in the tomato paste, sauté for a minute then pour in the red wine. Wait for the wine to evaporate. Add the tomatoes, sugar, rhe cinnamon stick and a good pinch of salt and pepper and enough water to cover the meat.
Turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 45 minutes or until the beef is tender and fully cooked. Occasionally stir and top up with water if the sauce starts to dry out.
In the meantime, heat another pan, add 3 tbsps of olive oil and the orzo pasta and sauté, until golden.
Once your meat is done simmering, place the orzo pasta in an oven tray along with the meat and sauce (remove the cinnamon stick) and mix.
If needed, add enough water so that the pasta is just covered. As a rule of thumb you’ll need about 3 cups of liquid for 1 cup of orzo pasta.
Cover the tray with it’s lid and bake in preheated oven at 180C for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, add a splash of water if it has dried out, and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
To serve, sprinkle with some grated kefalotyri or any hard yellow cheese and enjoy!
October 1, 2024
Looks absolutely delicious! I really should try this, I have not made it before. Thank you for sharing.