An Albanian classic, this hearty winter dish of baked lamb, yogurt and rice is perfect served with a cold, crisp salad. This recipe is rich in flavor! Tave Kosi is the mac-n-cheese of the U.S.- Albania’s comfort food. Its origins are Elbasan, a town about 1.5 hours drive south-east of the capital of Tirana.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs lamb
- 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
- 2 tablespoons rice
- Salt, pepper
For Yogurt sauce:
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
- 2 lbs. yogurt
- 5 eggs
- Salt, pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Cut meat in 4 serving pieces, sprinkle each piece with salt and pepper, and bake in a moderately-heated oven with half the butter, sprinkling the meat with its gravy now and then. When meat is half-baked, add rice; remove the baking pan from the oven and leave it aside while you prepare the yogurt sauce.
Yougurt Sauce:
Sauté flour in butter until mixed thoroughly. Mix yogurt with salt, pepper and eggs until a uniform mixture is obtained, and finally stir in the flour. Put the sauce mixture in the baking pan; sauté it with the meat pieces and bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. Serve hot.
Ju bëftë mirë!