Giouvetsi

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Giouvetsi epitomizes the simplicity of Greek peasant cuisine. Made up of just a few ingredients with a slow cooking and baking time, it’s hands-down my favorite Greek meat dish. Nothing beats giouvetsi on a cold winter night. It’s hearty, nourishing, soul-feeding, and I can’t have just one serving. I LOVE coating it with a massive amount of shredded cheese, as if a snowy, wintry blast just hit a bowl of meat.... Yum!

SERVES

2H 30 Mins

Ingredients

Meat:

1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) front shank veal (or chicken or lamb)
Salt (pinch)
White vinegar (sprinkle)
2 medium onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pasta:

2 cups kritharaki (orzo pasta)—or hilopites or spaghetti
1/2 cup tomato juice
Romano cheese

Directions

Cut the veal into five centimeter cubes; do not debone. In a large stockpot, pour in sufficient water to cover the meat. Toss in two to three dashes of salt, and drizzle in a touch of vinegar. Boil for ten minutes. Skim the froth with a slotted spoon, then remove the meat and place into a bowl. Rinse out the pot.
Pour the olive and vegetable oils into the stockpot. Chop the onions into one centimeter cubes, toss in, and sauté over medium-high heat. Add in the veal cubes, and cover the meat with hot water from a boiling kettle. Partially cover the pot, and stir. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower to medium-high heat. Feed the pot with boiling water, if needed. Continue cooking for 45 minutes, then mix in the tomato juice, salt and pepper. Stir, partially covering the pot, and cook for another ten minutes. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 395 °F (200 °C).
Add the kritharaki into a large baking dish (ideally, a round clay baking dish) spreading the pasta around with your fingers. Mix in four cups of hot water from a boiling kettle, and bake. Stir occasionally, making sure the kritharaki doesn’t stick to the dish, while allowing the pasta and water to reach a boil (about 15 minutes). Then, mix in the tomato juice, and combine the veal and its broth. Bake for ten minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the giouvetsi stand in the oven for an additional ten minutes, or until the pasta thickens.
Remove from oven. Let cool, then top with grated Romano cheese. Serve with bread and red wine.