Gouvetsi / Giouvetsi / Youvetsi (you-vet-see)

Equipment

• Chopping board
• Knife
• Large oven-proof casserole dish
• Lid for dish, or kitchen foil
• Blender

Ingredients

• 250g chicken breast (or boneless beef / lamb / pork pieces)
• 2tbsp Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Stock cube (to match the meat used)
• 1/2 tsp Cinamon
• 1 tbsp Cajun spice (optional. omit for original greek style)
• 350ml water (or red wine if you prefer)
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes, blended (or 1 jar pasata)
• 250g Orzo (rice-shaped pasta. see food-info.net for alternative names and more info)
• 1 onion, finely diced (optional)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

Preparation

1. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into the casserole dish until the bottom of the dish is just covered.
2. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.
3. Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
4. Add 1 tbsp Cajun spice
5. Chop the chicken breasts in half (small breasts) or thirds (large breasts) and coat them thoroughly in the oil/spice mix.
6. Spread the chicken evenly around the dish and add the water. The water should nearly cover the chicken.
7. If including onion and or garlic, add them now.
8. Cook for 15mins in oven at around 190°C. The chicken should appear white.
9. While chicken is cooking, blend the chopped tomatoes. The mixture should be an easy to pour liquid
10. Add the tomato. The chicken should now be submerged and the dish should be fairly full. (keep it low enough to move it without spilling, add more water if it's too low)
11. Return to oven for additional 30 minutes.
12. Remove from oven, and add the pasta. Stir in evenly. Cover dish.
13. Return to oven for final 30 minutes.
14. Remove from oven, remove cover, stir the mixture to mix the surface oil into the body of cooked pasta.
15. If the pasta isn't quite cooked through add a small quantity of water, stir in, replace cover and return to oven for 5 minutes.