Tavë Kosi
(tah-vuh koh-see)
Tavë: The Sunday Centerpiece
If you search the internet for Tavë Kosi, you will find a lot of fake, Hollywood-style Mediterranean nonsense loaded with garlic and oregano. Ignore it. Authentic Albanian cooking is a masterpiece of restraint, and this—the undisputed national dish—relies entirely on the alchemy of a few pure ingredients: the rich savoriness of lamb, the acidic tang of whole-milk yogurt, and the binding magic of eggs and butter. Traditionally a multi-hour Sunday affair involving bone-in cuts, we’ve streamlined this for a Wednesday night by using diced lamb shoulder. The secret to keeping the yogurt from turning into a watery, curdled mess in the oven? A simple roux made from the lamb's juices. It guarantees a magnificent, golden soufflé every single time.
Before you start
Trim the lamb shoulder with intent.
Remove excess hard fat from the lamb shoulder so the dish isn't greasy, but be sure to leave enough soft fat behind—that fat is crucial for flavoring the broth.
Ingredients
- boneless lamb shoulder1 1/2 lb
- unsalted butter6 tbsp
- salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- water3/4 cup
- long-grain white rice2 tbsp
- all-purpose flour3 tbsp
- eggs4 large
- full-fat Greek yogurt3 1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Brown the lamb aggressively in butter.
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a wide, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper, add it to the pan, and sear until beautifully browned on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- 02
Simmer to create the essential meat broth.
Pour in the water, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits. Bring to a rapid simmer, cover tightly, drop the heat to low, and steam for 15 minutes to tenderize the lamb and yield the savory liquid you will need later.
- 03
Move the lamb to a baking dish and scatter the rice.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb pieces to an 8x11-inch earthenware or glass baking dish, leaving all the cooking liquid in the pot. Sprinkle the rice evenly around the lamb to act as a sponge for residual moisture.
- 04
Build the stabilizing roux using the reserved lamb juices.
Pour the lamb liquid from the skillet into a measuring cup. Wipe the skillet clean, return it to medium-low heat, and melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes until it smells nutty and turns pale gold. Slowly pour in the reserved lamb liquid, whisking vigorously until it thickens into a gravy, then remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
- 05
Whisk the yogurt and eggs, then temper with the warm gravy.
In a large bowl, whisk the beaten eggs, Greek yogurt, salt, and a few cracks of black pepper until perfectly smooth. Slowly stream the slightly cooled lamb gravy into the yogurt mixture while whisking constantly; this is the grandmother's secret that binds the fat and prevents the yogurt from breaking in the oven.
- 06
Assemble and bake until puffed and golden.
Pour the yogurt mixture evenly over the lamb and rice. Cut the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into tiny pieces and dot them across the top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the yogurt puffs up dramatically like a golden-brown soufflé. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Never use low-fat yogurt.
The dairy fat is absolutely required for the custard texture to stabilize properly under high heat.
Resist the urge to add garlic or oregano.
Tavë Kosi is an exercise in restraint. The pure, delicate flavors of baked dairy and roasted lamb are completely masked by heavy Mediterranean herbs.
From Cook Albanian in America.