Kleftiko means “stolen” and the origins of this dish go back to the early days of the Greek freedom fighters who lived in the mountains. They had to prepare the meat that they had stolen in a way that it would not be seen or smelled and they achieved this by baking it in earthenware pottery vessels that were then buried underground. Today kleftiko is made by tightly wrapping lamb in foil and baking it until the meat literally falls off the bone.
Put the lamb shanks in a bowl. Mix the marinade ingredients well to combine and pour over the shanks. With your hands work the marinade all over the shanks. Refrigerate for about 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Shape 2 pieces of foil into squares big enough to hold the shanks and vegetables. Place the foil on a working surface. Divide the vegetables between the foil pieces and place the shanks on top. Sprinkle with feta and pour the leftover marinade over. Season to taste. Pinch the edges of the foil together to make a sealed parcel. Place the parcels on a baking tray and add about 500ml water to the tray. Bake until the lamb has fallen off the bone, about 3 – 4 hours. Pour more water into the baking tray as it dries out. Place each parcel on a serving plate and serve while still hot with the roasted potatoes.Kleftiko
Ingredients
Marinade
Instructions
