Tave Kosi

Tavë kosi combines lamb with a tangy baked yogurt-and-egg topping. This version uses only a little rice; it is a lamb dish with a custard-like topping, rather than a rice casserole.

Tave Kosi

Lamb baked with a little rice beneath a tangy egg-and-yogurt topping, with optional mint to finish.

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 lb Lamb Shoulder
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter Cubed into 16 Pieces for the lamb
• Salt & Pepper
• 2 tbsp Uncooked Rice
• 5 Eggs
• 4 cups Full Fat Greek Yogurt
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter for the yogurt sauce
• 1 tbsp Flour
• Salt & Pepper
• Mint, minced (optional)

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cut the lamb shoulder into four pieces, removing any excess fat and bones.
3. Season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides and place in a cast iron oven proof pan. Place butter cubes on the pieces of lamb. Bake in the oven, baste with the pan juices every ten minutes and bake for 40 minutes, or until well browned. Remove from the oven, stir the rice into the pan juices and set aside.
4. In a large bowl combine the yogurt with salt and pepper to taste. Break the five eggs into another bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the beaten eggs into the yogurt mixture and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
5. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and whisk until all the flour is incorporated.
6. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt and whisk until smooth.
7. Pour the yogurt sauce over the lamb and bake for about 45 minutes, until the topping is set and the center of the casserole reaches 165°F (74°C). Check that the lamb and rice are tender; allow more time if needed. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with minced mint if using, and serve hot.

Notes

The two butter entries are separate: 4 tablespoons go on the lamb and 4 tablespoons go into the yogurt sauce. Lamb shoulder tenderness depends on the size of the pieces, so check it rather than relying on time alone. The method includes an initial 40-minute bake and a further 45 minutes after adding the yogurt topping; preparation time is additional.

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Cooking notes

Keep the two butter portions separate. One portion goes over the lamb; the other makes the flour-and-butter base for the yogurt sauce. Measure them into separate dishes before you begin.

Check the lamb as well as the topping. A set topping does not tell you whether the lamb shoulder is tender. Check the meat with a fork and follow the doneness guidance in the recipe.

A little context: Albania’s National Tourism Agency includes tavë kosi in its culinary guide. Our recipe keeps the lamb, rice and yogurt combination at its center.

What to cook next

• Chicken Paprikash
• Eggplant Involtini