YOUVETSI (TRADITIONAL GREEK ORZO BAKE)

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Youvetsi (Traditional Greek Orzo Bake) image

If you are looking for an authentic dish from Greece, this recipe is for you! I grew up eating this, one of my favorite meals! It's usually made with veal or lamb stew meat but my family has always used chicken, which is delicious! You can use whichever you prefer! Either way this baked orzo dish will melt in your mouth! It may sound like a lot of work, but the preparation is very little! The majority of it is cooking time!

Provided by STEFADOURAKI

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Greek

Time 2h30m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 9

½ cup olive oil
3 pounds cubed lamb stew meat
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, pureed in a food processor
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon white sugar
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup butter
1 pound uncooked orzo pasta
3 cups hot water

Steps:

  • Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook meat until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add pureed tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the orzo. Saute until slightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer orzo to a baking pan, spreading it out evenly. Remove meat from the saucepan and place on top of the orzo. Pour tomato sauce evenly over meat. Add hot water. Cover with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until all water is absorbed and orzo is soft, about 1 hour. If the dish becomes too dry, add more water during baking.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 575.6 calories, Carbohydrate 37.6 g, Cholesterol 109.8 mg, Fat 35.2 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 27.3 g, SaturatedFat 14.6 g, Sodium 234.8 mg, Sugar 4 g

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