Beef Yiouvetsi with orzo pasta and vegetables

Another version of the classic Yiouvetsi recipe. The addition of vegetables like carrots and leeks give a delicate and sweet taste to the dish

Ingredients (for 4-6 people):
1.200gr of beef, cut in portions
1/2 tea-cup of olive oil + extra 1/4 tea-cup
1 small onion, kept whole
3 cloves of garlic, cut in halves
1 carrot, kept whole
1 leek, both white and green part (kept whole)
1/2 tea-cup of white dry wine
1Kg of fresh tomatoes, grated (or 2 X 400gr tins)
1 tsp of sugar
500gr. of orzo pasta
salt
pepper
Kefalotyri or sour Myzithra cheese, grated (or other similar salty/hard cheese that easily melts)

Method:
In a deep pot warm the 1/2 tea-cup of oil in medium heat and sauté the meat portions on all sides for about 8-10 minutes, until lightly brown. Add the garlic and the rest of the vegetables in the pot and stir with a wooden spatula so they get coated with the oil. Pour over with the wine and add the sugar in. Next, add the tomatoes and 1Lt of water.

Cover the pot with the lid and leave the food to simmer in medium/low heat for about 1 hour until the meat is tender and plenty of (rather thin) sauce is left in the pot. Towards the end of the cooking, season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

In a deep frying pan warm the rest of the oil in medium heat, add the orzo and sauté, stirring with a wooden spatula until it gets coated with the oil and slightly starts to change colour.

Empty the orzo in a spacious oven pan and on top arrange the meat portions. Take the garlic and the vegetables off the sauce (if in the meantime they have kept their shape and are not mashed) and pour it over the meat. The sauce should cover the orzo pasta, if not then add some more warm water in the pan -but not more than two fingers over the pasta.

Put in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Towards the end of cooking, sprinkle with the grated cheese and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes until the cheese melts and forms a golden brown crust.