Arni Ttavas (Oven-roasted Lamb with Onions) is a traditional Cypriot recipe for a classic dish of lamb shoulder roasted with onions, tomatoes and spices in an oil and vinegar base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Cypriot version of: Oven-roasted Lamb with Onions (Arni Ttavas).
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This dish gets its name from the earthenware dish in which it's cooked. This is known as a ttavas or ntavas and resembles a deep soup bowl without a lid. Today the stew is as commonly cooked in a casserole as in a ttavas, but it's always baked uncovered.
Ingredients:
1kg shoulder of lamb
1kg onions, thinly sliced
1kg ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 small pieces of cinnamon stick
250ml lukewarm water
60ml wine vinegar
120ml corn oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
Cut the meat from the lamb into between 20 and 25 pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the lamb and fry until lightly browned all over.
Transfer the lamb to a ttava pot (or an earthenware or heavy casserole). Fry the onions in the oil remaining in the frying pan until lightly coloured then turn the contents of the frying pan (oil and onions) into the casseroled. Add the wine vinegar, half the cumin seeds, cinnamon, salt, black pepper and tomatoes. Mix thoroughly then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and cook, uncovered for about 120 minutes.
During this cooking time stir the mixture every 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and divide between serving plates. Scatter over the remaining cumin seeds along with a rice pilaff and yoghurt.
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