Page 19 - RECIPES BOOK

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring the beef to room temperature and pat it
dry very well with kitchen paper.

2. Set a deep pot over high heat and add the oil
and the beef cubes in one layer. Sauté for 3
minutes without stirring or until the meat no
longer sticks to the surface of the pot (if your
pot is not large enough, do it in batches).
Using tongs turn the met to brown from the
other side.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion,
the leek, the carrot, the bay leaves, the
cinnamon stick, the cloves and the allspice
kernels. Stir and cook until the vegetables
are soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato
paste and stir for one minute.

4. Add the wine, the pureed tomatoes, the
sugar, the broth (or water), the salt, and the
pepper. Cover and simmer for one hour or
until beef is tender (time may vary and can
take up to 2 hours, depending on the age, the
part and the quality of the meat). When the
meat is done, it should be left with a thick
sauce. (If the pot has too much liquid you
should use only 4 cups of water for the orzo
pasta).

5. Put the casserole dish in the oven and
preheat it to 390°F (200°C). At the same time
bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil. Take the hot
casserole out of the oven, add the orzo pasta
and the olive oil and stir to combine.

6. Remove the cinnamon stick, the cloves, the
allspice, and the bay leaves from the pot with
the stew and gently pour the sauce and the
meat over the orzo pasta. Add the boiling
water and the salt and bake for 20 minutes.

7. Take the Youvetsi out of the oven and let it
rest on your counter for 20 minutes. It may
seem that there’s a lot of liquid left, but while
resting the pasta will cook completely and
absorb more liquid. Serve with grated
cheese.