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Mastelo

Name: Mastelo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 230 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1.8 kg lamb shoulder and leg on the bone; 1 tbsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 onions; 50 g fresh dill; 6 cloves garlic; 300 ml red wine; 60 ml olive oil

Mastelo: Sifnos Easter lamb baked slowly in a clay pot over vine twigs with red wine and dill

Features:

One pot High protein Dairy free

Cuisine:

Greek

Sifnos is an island of potters, and its Easter dish is named after the deep clay pot it is cooked in: lamb or kid laid on a bed of vine prunings, splashed with red wine, scattered with dill and sealed in the baker's oven overnight. The meat steams in the wine and its own juices until it falls from the bone, smelling of dill and woodsmoke, and is served on Easter Sunday with potatoes and bread. This recipe uses red wine; for an alcohol-free version use red grape juice with 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Common mistake: opening the pot to check, which lets the steam escape and dries the lamb. Chef's tip: if you can't get vine twigs, a few thick slices of onion or a small rack under the meat stops it sitting in the liquid.

Total time: 230 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 6

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Ingredients

Serves6

4 lb lamb shoulder and leg on the bonecut into large pieces
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 onionsthickly sliced, or a handful of vine twigs
1 ¾ oz fresh dillchopped
6 cloves garlicwhole
1 ¼ cups red wineor red grape juice plus 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil

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Method

0/6 done

Step 1: Rub 4 lb lamb shoulder and leg on the bone with 1 tbsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. If you have time, leave it covered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
5 min
Step 2: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan). Line the base of a clay pot or heavy lidded casserole with 2 onions or vine twigs.
Step 3: Lay the lamb on top, tucking 6 cloves garlic between the pieces, and scatter over two-thirds of 1 ¼ oz fresh dill. Pour over 1 ¼ cups red wine and ¼ cup olive oil.
Step 4: Cover tightly with the lid. If it doesn't fit snugly, put a sheet of baking paper and then foil under the lid to seal in the steam.
Step 5: Bake for 3–3½ hours without opening. The lamb is ready when the meat falls away from the bone at a touch.
200 min
Step 6: Lift out the meat, skim the fat from the juices and spoon the juices over. Scatter with the rest of ½ oz fresh dill and serve.
5 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 620 kcal
Protein: 52 g
Carbs: 5 g
Fat: 40 g
Fibre: 1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does mastelo take?: About 230 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 210 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of onions?: 2 shallots per onion.
What can I use instead of garlic?: ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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