Tavë Kosi

Being able to cook an Albanian national dish that reminds everyone of home puts a great smile on my face and warmth in my heart. Albanian Tavë kosi is a simple recipe of baked lamb and yogurt with rice, seasoned with oregano and garlic. The recipe originates from the Albanian city Elbasan so is also known as Tavë Elbasani. Some see Tavë Kosi as a comfort food dish. The soft, tender lamb baked with rice, oregano and garlic underneath a yogurt mixture has the most amazing aroma. It’s looks impressive when cooking too – the top rises up above the pot then as it cools sinks to create an impressive golden delight. Most recipes call for lamb shoulder meat to be used however I find cutting up the meat of a leg of lamb works well too, I keep the bones for the next day, boiling them to make stock or soup.