Classic beef yiouvetsi with orzo pasta

"Yiouvetsi" or "Giouvetsi" is a baked dish made, mainly, with either chicken, lamb or beef and always with some kind of pasta like "orzo" or "hylopites" or "spaghetti". In old times they used to cook it in big clay pots (like the one you see above) which nowadays are back in fashion. The recipe is not really complicated but requires some preparation and plenty of cooking time so to end up with the best of results of a melting in the mouth meat and the pasta not overcooked

Ingredients (6 people):
1 1/2 kg of beef (for stew)
300gr. orzo pasta
1 big glass of red wine
1 tin of tomatoes
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 big onions, grated
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
salt
pepper
4-5 whole allspice berries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 + 2 cups lukewarm water
1 chicken stock cube
plenty of Greek Kefalotyri cheese, grated (or pecorino or parmesan)

Method:
You wash the meat, cut into portions or smaller pieces and pat dry.

In a large pot warm the oil on medium-high heat and sauté the meat until lightly brown on all sides. Add the onions and the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until soft. Pour over with the wine and leave until the alcohol evaporates.

Add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, the pepper, the sugar, the bay leaf, the rest of the spices, one cup of lukewarm water and stir.

Leave the food to come to the boil, turn the heat down to medium, cover with the lid and cook for about 45-50 minutes and then season with salt.

Preheat the oven to 170ºC.

Transfer the meat with the sauce into a clay pot (or pyrex dish) and add 2 cups of lukewarm water - in which you have dissolved the stock cube. Arrange the pasta around the meat and stir.

Put in the oven and cook for about 40-45 minutes, stirring the orzo a couple of times during cooking. If you see that the food gets dry but it is not ready yet, add some more lukewarm water and continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Take out of the oven and serve while the food is still hot sprinkling on top with plenty of cheese.