Bring Greekfest Home

Some go to Ottawa Greek Festival for the pageantry, some for the music, but most for the food. If you missed this year's event, don't fret - you can still have a lamb dish with the recipe^* below. Lamb yiovetsi is often made to mark the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Assumption, celebrated on the fifteenth of August (or the Sunday closest to that day), refers to the Virgin Mary being assumed — body and soul — into heaven at the end of her earthly life. As we slip into fall, this hearty meal would be good on any table, so crank up the Nana Mouskouri, and get to cooking. Opa!

Ingredients
1 shoulder of lamb, with most of the fat removed, and cut into serving-sized portions

600 g plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 400 g canned, chopped tomatoes
400 g orzo pasta, or spaghetti broken into small lengths
75 mL extra virgin olive oil
50 g Kefalotyri (a Greek hard, salty white cheese made from sheep milk or goat's milk), grated (Parmesan can be substituted)
5 g dried oregano
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C. Place the lamb in a large roasting pan, and add the tomatoes, olive oil, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and stir in 300 mL of hot water.
2. Put the roasting pan in the oven and bake for about an hour and fifteen minutes, basting and turning the meat twice.
3. Take the lamb out of the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C. Add 700 mL of hot water to the roasting pan and stir in the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well.
4. Return the roasting pan to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta feels soft, and the meat is fully cooked and tender. 
5. Serve immediately with the grated cheese available to sprinkle on top. 

^* Taken from "Greece" by Rena Salaman and Jan Cutler, Anness Publishing Ltd, 2012