Greek Lamb with Orzo

This is an incredibly easy Greek one-pot dish - but it does take a while to cook so make sure you do it on an afternoon when you have enough time to throw everything in the oven and then sit back and relax while it cooks to a deliciously tender stew. The rice-shaped orzo pasta is added right at the end and soaks up all the lovely flavours. It does seem a bit odd to add only the dry ingredients at the beginning but somehow it works.

Serves 6.

Heat oven to 180ºC/fan 160ºC/gas 4. Cut 1kg lamb shoulder into 4cm chunks, then spread over the base of a large, wide casserole dish. Add 2 onions (sliced), 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 cinnamon sticks, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp olive oil, then stir well. Bake, uncovered, for 45 mins, stirring halfway through.

Pour over 400g chopped tomatoes and 1.2 litres hot chicken/vegetable stock, cover tightly, then return to the oven for 1½ hrs, until the lamb is very tender.

Remove the cinnamon sticks, then stir in 400g orzo. Cover again, then cook for a further 20 mins, stirring halfway through. The orzo should be cooked and the sauce thickened. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve with some greens and crusty bread.

Recipe from BBC Good Food: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5846/greek-lamb-with-orzo