Kleftiko from Cyprus

                                                                               Receta en Español 

Kleftiko is a lamb and vegetables stew ,very popular from Cyprus. The name of the dish dates from the revolution of Greece against the Ottoman Empire, there were greek guerrilla groups that lived and survive in the mountains, they were called the 'Klephts'. The name was given to them in the XV century and all their descendants have received this name until the XIX century. The meaning of 'Klephts' is thieves.

That name was due to their custom to eat stolen lamb meat, the meat was also called Kleftico, it is, stolen meat. They used to slow cook the meat in underground ovens to not be discovered by the smoke.

It became a traditional dish in the greek world. In Cyprus it is consumed whenever they have a party or big celebration.

The secret of the success of the dish is the slow cooking until the meat separates easily from the bone.

Ingredients:

- 1 lamb leg.
- 1 onion.
- 4 ripe tomatos.

- Potatos.

- 3 garlic cloves.

- 1/4 glass red wine.

- 1/4 glass olive oil.

- 1/4 glass tomato sauce.

- 1/4 glass lemon juice.

- oregano.

- Salt.

- Pepper.

Method:

1- Salt both sides of the lamb leg, make some cuts along the surface and then fill those cuts with garlic cloves that you have cut into slices. Put the lamb in an ovenproof recipient.

2-  Pour some wine, oil, tomato sauce and lemon juice over the lamb leg. 

3-  Cut tomato and onion into slices and place them next to the lamb leg.

4-  Cut potatos into slices and place them over the onion and tomato. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and oregano.

5-  Preheat oven at 180 º C , then place the lamb leg and cook at the same temperature for 1 hour and a half or 2 hours , until the meat separates easily from the bone.

The meat is juicy and delicious, an easy way to prepare a dish for every celebration.

You can also watch the recipe on my Youtube channel:

 

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