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Yiouvetsi

Yiouvetsi (pronounced yoo-VET-see) is a fired clay pot, invented by the Turks. The pot was co-opted by the Greeks to make a staple of Greek cuisine. The dish takes it name from the pot in which it's cooked. I've adapted the recipe for use with a Dutch oven.

Ingredients
1 lb lamb, cut from the leg
1 stick cinnamon
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup dry, white wine
5-6 canned tomatoes
18 oz water
1/2 Tsp dried oregano
1/8 - 1/4 Tsp ground allspice (optional)
1/2 lb kritharaki, manestra or orzo pasta
olive oil
salt
pepper
Mizithra or Kefalotiri cheese
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Carve the lamb into 1 inch cubes. Slice the onion. Chop the garlic finely. Squish the tomatoes.

Dry off the lamb with paper towels. Heat up a Dutch oven over a medium flame. Pour 3 Tbl of olive oil into the pan. Throw the lamb in and brown - severely. Remove the lamb and de-grease the pan. Add 3 Tbl olive oil to the pan and drop in the cinnamon stick. When the cinnamon becomes aromatic, throw in the onions, salt them down and fry them until they become soft. Introduce the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Return the lamb to the pan and de-glaze it with white wine. Throw in the tomatoes, water, oregano, allspice, salt and copious amounts of pepper. (Mark the level of the liquid with a wooden spoon and a rubber band wrapped around it, moving the band to the liquid level.) Bring the contents of the pan to a rolling boil, cover the pan with a heavy lid or aluminium foil, and place it into the oven until the lamb is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Rearrange the meat and stir the liquid every 30 minutes.

Some of the water in the pan will have evaporated. (Check the liquid-level with the wooden spoon, adjusting as needed.) Stir the kritharaki in. Season with salt, but be careful. Cover and return the pan to the oven until the pasta swells up, about 10-15 minutes. (Stir once or twice during the pasta's cooking time.) Remove the pan from the oven, stir, cover, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Turn the contents of the pot out onto a large serving platter. Remove the cinnamon stick. Grate Mizithra cheese overtop the pasta and meat. Serve with the driest of dry, white wine.

note
After the pasta is added, keep an eye on the moisture level. It will take longer than 10 minutes but less than 15 for the pasta to swell. Starchy kritharaki will absorb all the moisture - if allowed to.