Tavë Kosi — Baked Lamb with Yogurt

Name: Tavë Kosi — Baked Lamb with Yogurt
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 600 g Lamb; 70 g Butter; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 70 g Rice; 450 ml Boiled water; 2 clove Garlic; 2 tsp Oregano; pinch Salt; pinch Black pepper; 750 g Greek yogurt; 6 pcs Eggs; 2 tbsp Wheat flour; pinch Salt; pinch Black pepper

A classic Albanian dish featuring tender lamb meat, rice, and a light, fluffy yogurt crust. Aromatic, hearty, and incredibly delicious — perfect for a festive table.

Ingredients

600 g Lamb
70 g Butter
2 tbsp Olive oil
70 g Rice
450 ml Boiled water
2 clove Garlic
2 tsp Oregano
pinch Salt
pinch Black pepper
750 g Greek yogurt
6 pcs Eggs
2 tbsp Wheat flour
pinch Salt
pinch Black pepper

Instructions

Place butter and olive oil in a large skillet with a lid and melt over medium heat. Add the lamb cut into cubes and sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add finely chopped garlic and oregano, pour in 300 ml of water. Season with salt and pepper, stir well. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the meat from burning.
The liquid should almost completely evaporate. Add the remaining 150 ml of water and rice, stir well, and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and cook for exactly 10 minutes over medium heat. Check around the 8-minute mark — the liquid should almost completely evaporate, leaving only a moist layer with oil.
Transfer the lamb and rice to a ceramic baking dish (or divide among four ceramic bowls) so that the mixture completely covers the bottom and there is at least 5 cm of free space for the yogurt layer.
For the yogurt layer: melt 50 g of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and, stirring constantly, cook for 2 minutes (add a little more flour if necessary). The sauce should be neither too thick nor too thin — the color will darken slightly. Transfer the roux to a separate bowl.
In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt and eggs, season with salt and pepper. Stir well, then add the prepared sauce and whisk for a minute until the roux is completely mixed with the yogurt.
Pour the yogurt mixture over the meat and rice, sprinkle lightly with oregano on top.
Place the dish on the lower oven rack preheated to 180°C and bake for 35 minutes. Then move to the middle rack and bake for another 10 minutes. The dish is ready when the yogurt has risen high and a golden crust has formed.
Let the dish cool for 5–10 minutes before serving.