Agnello kleftiko
- Gluten Free
- Energy Kcal 620
- Carbohydrates g 34.5
- of which sugars g 9.8
- Protein g 57.6
- Fats g 25.8
- of which saturated fat g 10.92
- Fiber g 4.4
- Cholesterol mg 195
- Sodium mg 1194
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 4 h
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Average
- Note + 30 min. for marinating
PRESENTATION
Lamb kleftiko has these deep roots in Greek history, right? The tale goes back to the ‘clefti’—outlaws who, to keep it hush-hush, cooked stolen lamb underground. And these days, it is all about using parchment and an oven. But really, the core idea's the same: keeping that meat tender and juicy. And the flavors? Authentic Greek flavors from potatoes, tomatoes, onions and tangy feta make it so so good.
This Greek lamb recipe fills your kitchen with the mouthwatering scent of herbs and garlic as it cooks, and by the end, the lamb is so tender it practically falls apart with a touch. Really, it just falls apart. The parchment helps everything steam together—locking in all the moist goodness and ensuring each bite bursts with taste. And look, this dish is a staple during festive times like Easter, paired with brightly dyed Greek eggs and sweet baklava. It's all about those rich Mediterranean traditions.
Across Greece, you might find slight variations in this traditional Greek dish—like a squeeze of lemon or a handful of olives. But, thing is, that slow, gentle heat remains key to making the slow-cooked lamb incredibly succulent. Unlike regular roasts, this oven-baked lamb gets an extra depth of flavor from the vegetables and cheese melting together under the parchment. So tasty. The lamb’s juices soak into the potatoes, making them golden and rich with meaty taste. It's one of those dishes where you just gotta tear off a chunk of bread to mop up every last bit.
Some say the secret to a perfect lamb kleftiko is patience: letting the flavors develop and the meat relax in the oven makes a dish that truly stands out among Greek lamb recipe favorites. For real. This dish beautifully shows how Greek cooking makes simple ingredients into something really really memorable, especially when shared with friends and family gathered around the table. Which is great.
You might also like:
INGREDIENTS
- Leg of lamb 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) - (to be deboned)
- Potatoes 1.5 lbs (700 g)
- Cluster tomatoes 0.9 lb (400 g)
- Feta cheese 7.1 oz (200 g)
- Red onions 1
- Rosemary 3 sprigs
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- For the Marinade
- Lemon juice 5.1 oz (150 g) - (about 3)
- Dry white wine 4.1 oz (120 g)
- Thyme 3 sprigs
- Juniper berries 4
- Black pepper to taste
How to prepare Agnello kleftiko
To prepare lamb kleftiko, first clean the leg of lamb: remove the outer layer of fat and connective tissue 1, remove the bone 2 and cut the meat into cubes of about 1 ½ to 2 inches 3: you should end up with about 2 pounds of deboned and cleaned meat.
Transfer the meat cubes into a bowl and add the lemon juice 4, the white wine 5, the thyme leaves 6,
the juniper berries 7 and a grind of pepper 8, then mix well, cover with plastic wrap 9 and place the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate for about 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the other ingredients: peel and slice the onion into fairly thick slices 10; wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them into pieces about 1 inch in size to prevent them from falling apart during cooking 11. Finally, wash and cut the tomatoes into pieces the same size as the potatoes 12. Mix all the vegetables in a bowl and set aside for now.
After the marinating time has elapsed, remove the lamb with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a larger bowl, thus eliminating the excess marinade 13. Add the prepared vegetable mix and season with the oil 14, rosemary 15, salt, and pepper, then mix well.
Finally, cut the feta into cubes 16 and cut 8 sheets of parchment paper measuring 13x14 inches. Place 4 sheets on the work surface and distribute the lamb and vegetable mix equally in the center of each one 17, then crumble the feta on top, dividing it among the 4 portions 18.
Now close the parchment paper sheet as if it were a gift package by folding the top and bottom flaps towards the center to cover the content 19, and do the same with the two side flaps. Place the package thus obtained in the center of another sheet of parchment paper 20 and close it the same way by folding the flaps towards the center 21.
Once you've obtained another package 22, tie it with kitchen string, securing it in the middle with a knot, and place the parcels on a baking sheet 23. Bake in a preheated static oven at 300°F for about 4 hours, after which your lamb kleftiko will be ready to be served hot 24... once you open the foil, mix the contents to blend all the flavors well!