Tavë Kosi
An Albanian lamb casserole with rice and a baked yogurt-and-egg topping. Serves 6.
Tavë Kosi combines lamb cooked with garlic and oregano, a layer of rice, and a mixture of yogurt, egg, butter, and flour that sets in the oven. The dish is associated with Elbasan and is made in several versions.
Ingredient allergens
Allergen listThere are no verified associations for these ingredients yet.
Method
- 01
Brown and cook the lamb
Heat the olive oil and some of the butter in a skillet. Add the lamb, garlic, oregano, black pepper, and some of the salt. Brown the meat and add the water; cook until the lamb is tender. Reserve the cooking liquid.
Ready to continue when: The lamb is tender when pierced and has browned patches.
- 02
Prepare the rice
Cook the rice in some of the reserved liquid until it is partly cooked but still slightly firm. Drain it if any liquid remains.
Ready to continue when: The grains are partly cooked and still retain some firmness.
- 03
Make the yogurt mixture
Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually add the reserved cooking liquid. Remove from the heat and mix in the yogurt, beaten eggs, and remaining salt.
Ready to continue when: The mixture is smooth and even, with no visible lumps of flour or egg.
- 04
Assemble the casserole
Preheat the oven to 175 °C. Place the lamb in an ovenproof dish and spread the partly cooked rice over it. Pour the yogurt mixture evenly over the layers.
Temperature: 175 °C / 347 °FReady to continue when: The lamb and rice are evenly covered by the yogurt mixture.
- 05
Bake and rest
Bake the casserole for 45–60 minutes, until the topping is set and the surface is golden. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Temperature: 175 °C / 347 °FReady to continue when: The surface is golden and the topping looks set; after resting, portions hold their shape when served.
60 min
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
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State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.