Traditional Greek cooking is a solid peasant cuisine, born in a fertile land rich in various seasonal products. Herbs, spices, olive oil were always at hand for the Greeks. The most popular meats are lamb, goat and beef. The secret of great Greek cuisine is the combination of fresh, simple ingredients and the culinary talent of this generous, hospitable people.
It is necessary
-
- Roast lamb (Arnaki kleftiko):
- leg of lamb weighing 1.5 kg;
- 10-12 cloves of garlic;
- 200 g of sheep's milk cheese (kefalotiri
- pecorino)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- rosemary;
- 1.5 kg of medium crumbly potatoes;
- 3 medium carrots;
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4-5 sheets of parchment paper.
- Beef stew (Juvenci):
- 2 kg of beef or lamb;
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 1 large stalk of leeks
- 1 large carrot;
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3-4 peas of allspice;
- 300 g of tomatoes;
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 0.5 kg of orzo paste;
- kefalotiri or pecorino cheese;
- salt
- pepper.
Instructions
Step 1
Lamb roast (Arnaki kleftiko)
Kleftiko means "stolen meat" in Greek. The legend of the appearance of this dish says that the bandits who stole cattle could not stay in one place for a long time to prepare food, so they dug deep holes, put coals in them and placed pieces of meat on them. An impromptu brazier was covered with leaves, and the lamb or goat meat was slowly baked for 12-24 hours. Then the thieves would come to the hidden dish and have a feast. The modern recipe is an adaptation of the old, maximally conveying "that very taste."
Step 2
Rub the meat with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, rosemary leaves and pepper. Peel the garlic and cut each clove in half lengthwise. Cut the cheese into cubes. Traditionally, the Greeks use kefalotyri, a mature, hard sheep's cheese. Kefalotiri is a regional product; the more common Italian pecorino cheese can serve as an adequate substitute for it, although it is prepared using a slightly different technology, it is also based on sheep's milk. Using a sharp knife, pierce the leg of lamb over the entire surface and insert the cloves of garlic and pieces of cheese into the holes.
Step 3
Wash, peel and cut the potatoes in half or into quarters. Peel and chop the carrots as well. Preheat the oven to 250 ° C. Place vegetables and meat on parchment sheets. Wrap with paper to form a baking bag. Take a deep roasting pan, fill 1/3 with water, put the prepared lamb in it and put it in the oven. Bake for about 2-2.5 hours. Kleftiko is served with fresh salad and young wine.
Step 4
Beef stew (Juvenci)
Juvenci is another popular Greek dish. It uses not only the cheese and olive oil loved by the Greeks, but also tomatoes popular in Greek cuisine, as well as small pasta - krisaraki or manestra. In this recipe, they are replaced by orzo pasta, which is almost similar in composition and method of preparation, but more affordable.
Step 5
Cut the meat (it is better to take a shoulder or arable land) into large cubes. Heat ¼ cups of olive oil in a heavy, heavy-bottomed saucepan suitable for oven baking. Lightly salt the pieces of meat, pepper and fry in oil over medium heat until brown. This will take 7 to 10 minutes.
Step 6
While the meat is roasting, cut the onion into cubes, peel the garlic, rinse the carrots and leeks. Cut the leeks in half and the carrots into thirds. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside on a serving platter. Add the remaining olive oil. Fry the onions until translucent; this will take about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Put in leeks, carrots, pour in wine. Cut the tomatoes into cubes and add to the vegetables along with allspice and sugar. Pour in a liter of water. Wait for the sauce to boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Return the meat to the pot, cover and cook over medium heat for an hour.
Step 7
Preheat oven to 350 degrees C. Add dry orzo paste and 1/2 cup water to a pot of meat, season with salt and pepper. Cover and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, remove allspice and sprinkle with grated cheese on top. Cover and rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
