Lamb Kleftiko

Kleftiko originates from the mountains of rural Greece, where 18th-century kleftes (bandits) slow-cooked stolen lamb in sealed pits to hide the smoke and aroma from Ottoman authorities. The result is impossibly tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb infused with lemon, garlic, and herbs — a dish that tastes like it has centuries of patience baked into every bite.

Ingredients

1.8 kg bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 4 large portions

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 large red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into thick strips

1 large green bell pepper, deseeded and cut into thick strips

1 medium white onion, thickly sliced

2 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp sweet paprika

1.5 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

80 ml extra-virgin olive oil

60 ml fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

1 tsp lemon zest

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

150 g Greek feta cheese, broken into large chunks

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced or 180°C (350°F) conventional.

Using a small sharp knife, cut 8–10 deep slits all over the lamb pieces and push a sliver of garlic deep into each slit.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, dried oregano, dried thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper to form a marinade.

Add the lamb pieces to the bowl and rub the marinade thoroughly all over them, ensuring it gets into the slits. If time allows, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

Place the potato quarters, tomatoes, bell pepper strips, and sliced onion in a large roasting dish. Tuck the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs among the vegetables. Pour any remaining marinade over the vegetables and toss gently to coat.

Arrange the marinated lamb pieces on top of the vegetables. Scatter the feta chunks over and between the lamb pieces.

Tear off two large sheets of parchment paper and lay them over the top of the roasting dish, overlapping in the center. Then cover tightly with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, crimping and sealing the edges firmly all around to trap all steam inside — this sealed environment is the defining technique of kleftiko.

Place the sealed dish in the preheated oven and cook undisturbed for 4 hours. Do not open the parcel during cooking.

After 4 hours, carefully remove the dish from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 220°C (430°F). Peel back and discard the foil and parchment, taking care to avoid the rush of hot steam.

Return the uncovered dish to the hot oven for a further 20–25 minutes until the lamb is golden and slightly caramelized on top and the potatoes have browned at the edges.

Remove from the oven and rest uncovered for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs. Serve the lamb directly from the roasting dish with crusty bread to soak up the rich cooking juices.