Tava Kosia Recipe
Classic Albanian baked dish featuring tender lamb in a creamy, tangy yogurt and egg custard
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Ingredients
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Meat and Marinade
Custard Mixture
For Baking
Method
Meat Preparation
- 1
Marinate the Lamb
In a large bowl, combine diced lamb, minced garlic, olive oil, paprika, salt, black pepper, and dried mint. Mix well to coat the lamb evenly with the marinade. Cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.
- 2
Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) while the lamb is marinating.
Cooking the Lamb
- 3
Brown the Lamb
In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the marinated lamb in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Brown the lamb on all sides for about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the browned lamb to a baking dish.
Custard Preparation
- 4
Prepare the Custard Mixture
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the plain yogurt, eggs, crumbled feta cheese, and milk until well combined and smooth.
Baking
- 5
Combine and Bake
Pour the custard mixture over the browned lamb in the baking dish, ensuring all the meat is covered. Dot the top with small pieces of butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the custard is set and golden brown.
- 6
Garnish and Serve
Once out of the oven, let the dish rest for about 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
