Recipe for Greek Style Lamb Wrapped in Filo

Written by Greek Boston in Authentic Greek Food Recipes, Greek Style Meat Recipes Comments Off on Recipe for Greek Style Lamb Wrapped in Filo

Greek Style Lamb Wrapped in Filo (Arni Kleftiko) Recipe Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb stew meat, cubed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup sweet dessert wine, like Mavrodaphne
• 4 cups chopped, mixed greens (spinach, dandelion, arugula, etc)
• 12 sheets filo dough
• Olive oil or melted butter, for brushing
• 2/3 cup mizithra or other sharp, crumbly cheese

Instructions to Make Lamb Wrapped in Filo:

Add 2 tablespoons oil to a skillet and heat at medium-high. Place the lamb in the skillet in a single layer. If you can’t get all the pieces in at once, you’ll need to cook it in batches. Season the pieces with salt and pepper, to taste, while they’re in the skillet. Brown the lamb pieces until they’re cooked all over. This should take a total of 5 minutes. Place the pieces in a serving dish and then repeat the process with any pieces that are left.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onions to the skillet. Saute over medium heat for a few minutes until the onions become translucent. Add the cooked lamb, raisins, cumin, and wine. Stir the mixture in the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook on medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Set the heat on low and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until all the juices are absorbed. Remove the skillet from the heat so that the lamb mixture can begin to cool.

Fill a medium-sized pot with water. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Add the greens and boil until they’re wilted and turn a bright green color. This should take about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain the greens in a colander, and set them aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lay a sheet of filo flat on your work surface and brush lightly with melted butter or olive oil. Place another sheet on top of that, and brush it with more melted butter or olive oil. Place 1/6 of the greens mixture, 1/6 of the lamb mixture, and then 1/6 of the cheese at the center of the filo. Fold the sheet in half over the mixture. Brush the top with butter or olive oil. From there, you can either create large triangles or a rectangular shape, depending on your comfort level (rectangles are easier). Repeat until all the ingredients are used up. Place each packet on a baking sheet, making sure that they’re spaced at least one inch apart. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake until each packet is golden and crisp. This should take about 40 to 45 minutes.

Categorized in: Authentic Greek Food Recipes, Greek Style Meat Recipes

This post was written by Greek Boston