Kleftiko (Lamb in the Oven) is a traditional Cypriot (from Cyprus) recipe for a classic dish of lamb pieces seasoned with salt, black pepper and oregano that are slowly roasted in an earthenware dish in the oven. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Cypriot version of: Lamb in the Oven (Kleftiko).
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Every family in Cyprus has their own version of this dish and the recipe can be extremely variable. Below is one of the most basic versions, though in some households the lamb is cooked with potatoes and onions and in others, tomatoes are added to make a sauce.
Ingredients:
1 shoulder of lamb (about 2kg)
2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
sea salt, to taste
3 bayleaves
300ml water
Method:
Take the lamb and cut into fist-sized chunks. Arrange these in a clay dish with a tight-fitting lid (an earthenware casserole dish is good). Season with salt and dried oregano then nestle in the bayleaves then pour in the water.
To ensure the lid fits very well, I typically put a doubled sheet of kitchen foil on the top and then sit the lid on this.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and cook for 30 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 140°C and continue cooking for about 3 hours, or until the meat is almost falling off the bone.
Serve hot. This is often accompanied by roast potatoes.
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