Medium
Christmas Noche Buena
Tavë Kosi - Albanian Christmas Baked Lamb with Yogurt
Albania's national Christmas dish - tender lamb baked in creamy yogurt and egg sauce. This comforting casserole represents Albanian hospitality and the rich culinary heritage of the Balkans.
180
Total Minutes
8
Servings
Gluten-Free
Cooking Times
30 min
Prep Time
150 min
Cook Time
180 min
Total Time
Ingredients (12 items)
3.00 lbs
Lamb shoulder
cubed
4.00 cups
Greek yogurt
full-fat
4.00
Eggs
1.00 cup
Rice
uncooked
0.50 cup
Butter
3.00 tbsp
Flour
2.00 large
Onion
chopped
4.00 cloves
Garlic
minced
1.00 cup
White wine
2.00 tbsp
Oregano
dried
2.00 tsp
Salt
1.00 tsp
Black pepper
Instructions (8 steps)
1
Brown lamb in butter in large pot. Add onions and garlic, sauté.
12 minutes
2
Add wine, oregano, salt, pepper. Simmer covered 90 minutes until tender.
90 minutes
3
Meanwhile, cook rice until just done. Drain.
15 minutes
4
Make roux with flour and 2 tbsp butter. Cook 2 minutes.
2 minutes
5
Beat eggs with yogurt until smooth. Slowly whisk in roux.
6
Layer lamb and rice in baking dish. Pour yogurt mixture over.
7
Dot with remaining butter. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.
45 minutes
8
Broil last 5 minutes for golden top. Serve hot with salad.
5 minutes