I made these and they are just plain awesome! I made the full 6 as required by the recipe and there was plenty for lunch for two and another dinner. The lamb comes out so tender it's insane.
I had the butcher debone a whole leg of lamb and this way I had plenty of meat for soup, stew and I still have some left over for more of these. I promise to add a photo next time I make this!
Arni Tou Haritiou
Lamb with Grape Leaves Baked in Fillo Parcels
Serves 6
This is a ersion, using fillo pastry, of a Greek dish of lamb baked in parchment packets.
Preheat oven to 325º F
ingredients:
If you are using fresh grape leaves, blanch them for a few seconds in boiling water, until they become limp and change color. They'll darken.
If you are using leaves preserved in brine, soak them in boiling water for 1 hour to remove their saltiness, changing the water at least once.
Rinse and drain well.
*I used the packaged in brine leaves and I have very, very hot water coming out of my tap. I filled a very large bowl with hot water, soaked the leaves and changed the water more frequently during the course of the day. Much easier than boiling and having to reboil over and over.
Cut the meat into 6 fat slices (about 1 1/2" is nice)
In a bowl, mix the oil, lemon juice, wine, pepper, garlic and marjoram and turn the pieces of meat in this marinade. Leave in a cool place for 1/2 hour or longer. Longer is better.
When you are ready to cook, brush each sheet of fillo very lightly with melted butter. (I used one sheet, buttered it and then laid a second sheet on top and buttered that. It made a sturdier pocket.)
Place 2 grape leavesone each, side by side towards the middle of a long edge. Lay a piece of meat over them, sprinkle with very little salt (optional), and cover with 2 more grape leaves.
Fold the fillo over and over the meat and leaves, wrapping them up in a loose package.
Repeat with the rest of the fillo, meat and leaves. Brush the top of each packet lightly with melted butter and place on an oven rack.
Bake in a preheated 325º oven for about 30 minutes, by wich time the meat should be done and the fillo lightly browned. You will have to cut into one piece to make sure tha it is done to your liking.
Serve the packets as they are, crisp and hot.
*Variations: Sprinkle the meat with 1/2 pound grated cheese. Kefalotyri is used in Greece, but mature cheddar is an acceptable alternative.
In a Turkish version called Ali Pasha Kebab, meat is stewed with 1 chopped onion and 2 peeled and chopped tomatoes until the meat is tender and the liquid has dried out, before it is wrapped in fillo and baked. The result is wonderfully moist and tender meat.
*recipe credit goes toThe New Book of Middle Eastern Food - by: Claudia Roden
I had the butcher debone a whole leg of lamb and this way I had plenty of meat for soup, stew and I still have some left over for more of these. I promise to add a photo next time I make this!
Arni Tou Haritiou
Lamb with Grape Leaves Baked in Fillo Parcels
Serves 6
This is a ersion, using fillo pastry, of a Greek dish of lamb baked in parchment packets.
Preheat oven to 325º F
ingredients:
- 24 grape leaves, fresh or preserved in brine
- about 2 pounds of boned leg of lamb, sliced into thick slices
- 4 - 5 Tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3/4 cup red wine (don't use cooking wine! use good wine)
- Pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp "rigani" (wild marjoram) or oregano
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted (you'll need more)
- 6 sheets fillo pastry (use #7 thickness. I used 2 sheets per packet too)
- Salt
If you are using fresh grape leaves, blanch them for a few seconds in boiling water, until they become limp and change color. They'll darken.
If you are using leaves preserved in brine, soak them in boiling water for 1 hour to remove their saltiness, changing the water at least once.
Rinse and drain well.
*I used the packaged in brine leaves and I have very, very hot water coming out of my tap. I filled a very large bowl with hot water, soaked the leaves and changed the water more frequently during the course of the day. Much easier than boiling and having to reboil over and over.
Cut the meat into 6 fat slices (about 1 1/2" is nice)
In a bowl, mix the oil, lemon juice, wine, pepper, garlic and marjoram and turn the pieces of meat in this marinade. Leave in a cool place for 1/2 hour or longer. Longer is better.
When you are ready to cook, brush each sheet of fillo very lightly with melted butter. (I used one sheet, buttered it and then laid a second sheet on top and buttered that. It made a sturdier pocket.)
Place 2 grape leavesone each, side by side towards the middle of a long edge. Lay a piece of meat over them, sprinkle with very little salt (optional), and cover with 2 more grape leaves.
Fold the fillo over and over the meat and leaves, wrapping them up in a loose package.
Repeat with the rest of the fillo, meat and leaves. Brush the top of each packet lightly with melted butter and place on an oven rack.
Bake in a preheated 325º oven for about 30 minutes, by wich time the meat should be done and the fillo lightly browned. You will have to cut into one piece to make sure tha it is done to your liking.
Serve the packets as they are, crisp and hot.
*Variations: Sprinkle the meat with 1/2 pound grated cheese. Kefalotyri is used in Greece, but mature cheddar is an acceptable alternative.
In a Turkish version called Ali Pasha Kebab, meat is stewed with 1 chopped onion and 2 peeled and chopped tomatoes until the meat is tender and the liquid has dried out, before it is wrapped in fillo and baked. The result is wonderfully moist and tender meat.
*recipe credit goes toThe New Book of Middle Eastern Food - by: Claudia Roden