What Greek dish is a casserole of lamb or beef with orzo in tomato sauce? Giouvetsi is the Greek baked casserole of meat, orzo, and tomato sauce.
Giouvetsi is typically prepared with lamb or beef, although chicken versions also exist. The meat is cooked with onions, garlic, stock, and tomato, then combined with kritharaki, the small rice-shaped pasta commonly called orzo in English. The dish is usually finished in the oven so the pasta absorbs the seasoned sauce and the meat becomes tender.
Its name is connected with güveç, a Turkish term for a clay cooking pot. Traditional giouvetsi is characteristically baked in an earthenware or clay vessel, which helps retain heat and gives the dish its rustic casserole character. Common seasonings include allspice, cinnamon, cloves, or bay leaves, depending on the regional recipe.
Giouvetsi is not moussaka, which layers eggplant or potato with minced meat and béchamel. It is also different from pastitsio, a baked pasta dish layered with meat sauce and béchamel, and stifado, a braised stew usually built around meat and pearl onions.