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Albanian Baked Lamb and Yogurt recipe
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Baked Lamb and Yogurt

This Albanian meal is easy to make, and incredibly tasty. It can be prepared as a main meal or for special occasions. Variations of this recipe are popular all across the Balkans.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Albania
Keyword: greek yogurt, Lamb
Servings: 6
Calories: 620kcal

Ingredients

For the Lamb

  • 2 lb lamb shoulder or lamb leg (cubed)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic (finely sliced)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika

For Yogurt Rice

  • ½ cup white rice
  • 1 cup water or broth

For the Yogurt Mixture

  • 2 tbsp flour
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 650 g yogurt
  • 4 eggs
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Cook the Lamb

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C
  • Heat a large saucepan over medium-high add olive oil.
  • Toss the lamb into the saucepan and cook for about ten minutes or until the meat is browned. Add garlic, oregano, and paprika, stir for a minute, then pour in the water. Adjust with salt and black pepper to your taste.

Prepare the Rice

  • Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. After it starts to boil, lower the heat to low and cover with a lid. Partially cook the rice until slightly tender but not fully cooked, for 20-30 minutes, stir during cooking when necessary.
  • Drain and set aside.

Make the Yogurt Sauce

  • Melt butter in a saucepan.
  • Whisk in flour to create a light roux. Slowly whisk in yogurt.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Use a mixing bowl to whisk together the eggs and the yogurt, add some seasoning with black pepper and salt. Whisk well to be smooth and creamy.
  • Then transfer lamb mixture to a casserole dish or a deep baking dish (at least 8cm deep).
  • Add rice evenly around the meat.
  • Then pour the yogurt sauce evenly over the meat in the baking dish.
  • You can use a separate small pan over medium heat and melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter. Add in the flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes then set aside and turn the heat off.
  • You can add more oregano if you'd like and bake in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 40-50 minutes or until golden brown on top.
  • Let the tavë kosi cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the most authentic Albanian Tavë Kosi, lamb shoulder is usually preferred because it becomes incredibly tender during baking.