• 3 pounds lamb, boneless leg or shoulder
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup white wine
• 3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 cup long grain rice
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 pastry dough sheets, homemade or store bought

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut the lamb into 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes. Sauté the garlic in the butter, add meat and let brown well. Add wine and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add ½ cup water, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, covered, until the meat is tender (cooking time with depend on the meat. If more water is needed, add boiling water – not cold). Add chopped tomatoes, parsley and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in rice and cheese. Taste before seasoning with salt and pepper. Let aside to cool.
3. Roll out the 2 pastry dough sheets to 16-inch rounds. Well butter a 14 inch pie dish. Gently drape the first round dough with some overhang around the edges. Spoon the meat filling and spread evenly. Top with the second round dough. Fold any excess dough around the edges to form a rim and prick with a fork. Carefully cut a 2-inch square opening in the center of the top dough to allow steam to escape during baking. If the filling dries during the baking, add some meat broth or water through the opening. Bake for 1 hour until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Romama’s Note: Serve the Lamb Pie while still warm!

Related recipes:

1. The Easiest Greek Galaktoboureko Recipe (Milk Pie)
2. Spinach Pie or (The Greek Spanakopita)
3. Potato Pie (Pasteliko de Masa Fina)

• 8 red or yellow onions
• ½ cup oil or butter
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 7 ounces ground beef
• ½ cup gruyere, grated
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup meat broth

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut a ½ inch thick slice from tops of onions and trim just enough from onion bottoms to stand upright. Add the onions in a casserole with boiling water and let boil for 10 minutes. Remove onions with a slotted spoon and let drain and cool. Scoop out all but 3 outer layers from each onion (use a small spoon or a small ice cream scooper). Reserve the scooped-out onion and arrange the onion shells in an oiled baking dish.
3. Chop scooped out onion and sauté in a skillet with 2 tablespoons oil. Add garlic and ground beef – cook for 5 minutes. Stir in half the cheese, salt, pepper and the egg. Remove from heat.
4. Stuff the onion shells with the meat mixture. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil.
5. Pour the meat broth in the baking dish and bake for 1 hour drizzling once or twice with the meat broth.

Romama’s Note: You can use ground chicken instead of ground beef for the Stuffed Onions. In that case, increase the cheese to ¾ or 1 cup.

Related recipes:

1. Red Cooked Beef with Orzo Pasta
2. Meat and Egg Stuffed Picnic Bread
3. Stuffed Lettuce Wraps

• 4 large lettuces, leaves separated
• 1 pound minced beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 scallions, sliced
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• Oil for frying
• ½ cup olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash lettuce leaves well under running water and then soak in salted water for 30 minutes.
2. Boil water in a pot and blanch lettuce leaves till almost cooked but still retain their fresh green color. Let drain. Remove the hard vein from each leave until 2 inches below the top of each leaf. Cut the hard veins in pieces, boil to soften and set aside for later.
3. In a bowl – mix the minced meat, salt and pepper, onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 egg and knead with wet hands until well combined. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
4. Spread lettuce leaves (one by one for the bigger leaves – 2 or 3 together for the smaller ones). Place a quantity equal to a walnut on each leaf near the stem and carefully roll it up starting from the stem, tucking the sides in to form a tight packet. Press each packet in your in your hands to flatten and remove any excess liquid. Dip each packet into the beaten egg and fry on both sides until golden brown.
5. In a deep skillet – cover the bottom with the earlier removed veins, chopped scallions and arrange the lettuce packets over. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice and let simmer until soft.

Romama’s Note: Serve the Stuffed Lettuce Wraps warm or at room temperature.

Related recipes:

1. Ground Beef Stuffed Onions
2. Rice Stuffed Vegetables
3. Meat and Egg Stuffed Picnic Bread

• ½ pound ground beef
• 3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 5-6 tablespoons water or milk
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 chicken livers, cut into four pieces
• 5 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cup butter
• 4 thin ham slices, cut in pieces
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cut meat broth
• 1 package farfalle pasta or any short pasta of your choice
• 1 ½ cup béchamel sauce
• 7 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl – mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, water (or milk), salt and pepper. Shape into small meatballs.
3. In a frying pan, heat butter and sauté liver, mushrooms and ham. Add meatballs and sauté until brown. Pour in white wine, meat broth and let cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.
4. Prepare pasta according to package instruction, drain and mix with the liver-meatballs mixture.
5. Transfer into a deep ceramic baking dish. Add half the béchamel sauce and stir to combine. Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the pasta and top with diced mozzarella.

Romama’s Note: Prepare the béchamel sauce that we use for the Tasty Farmer’s Baked Pasta with 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 ½ cup milk, salt and pepper.

Related recipes:

1. Baked Pasta With Mixed Vegetables
2. Red Cooked Beef with Orzo Pasta
3. Green Mint Pasta Sauce

• 1 ¾ pound beef, boneless cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 150ml white wine or red wine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

1. In a heavy casserole heat olive oil butter. Add onion, scallions garlic and meat. Fry over moderate high heat until brown. Pour in the white wine, lower the heat and let simmer for a few minutes allowing the wine to reduce. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Increase the heat, add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Once the sauce starts boiling lower the heat, cover the casserole and let simmer for 1 hour until the meat is tender. (cooking time depends on the quality and freshness of meat)
3. When the meat is cooked remove from heat and serve over mashed potatoes, rice over pasta.

Romama’s Note: You can add 1-2 red chilies in the Red Cooked Beef with Orza Pasta if you like spicy taste.

Related recipes:

1. Tasty Farmer’s Baked Pasta
2. Ground Beef Stuffed Onions
3. Colorful Fusilli – Pasta Salad

• 1 medium size loaf of French bread or Italian bread
• ½ pound of ground beef
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 scallion, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 hard boiled eggs
• ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the loaf of bread lengthwise and almost in half. Pull out most of the bread crumbs. Spread a very thin layer of butter.
2. In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the onion and scallion. Add ground beef and season with salt and pepper. When the ground beef has browned, remove from heat and stir in the beaten egg and cheddar cheese.
3. Start stuffing the hollowed bread loaf with the meat mixture. Arrange boiled eggs over the meat mixture. Fill the gaps between the eggs with some more meat mixture. Cover with the remaining hollowed bread and press gently.
4. Melt the remaining butter and brush the top and bottom of the loaf. Wrap the loaf with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Romama’s Note: Slice the Meat and Egg Stuffed Picnic Bread into 1 ½ inch slices and serve warm or cold.

Related recipes:

1. Ground Beef Stuffed Onions
2. Stuffed Lettuce Wraps
3. Sliced and Stuffed Colorful Potatoes

For the meatballs:

• 2/3 pound ground beef
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons parmesan, grated
• Flour to coat the meatballs
• Oil to fry the meatballs

For the rest:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 ½ ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, grated
• 3 ounces bacon slices, cut in ½ inch pieces
• 1 8ounce can tomato sauce
• 14 ounces uncooked rice
• Butter to butter the pan
• Breadcrumbs to coat the pan
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups of béchamel sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. Cook rice following package instructions and let it cool down.
3. In a bowl – mix the ground beef, the egg yolk, the parsley, the parmesan and some salt and pepper. Knead the mixture and shape into meatballs. Fry the meatballs.
4. In a frying pan – heat 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the garlic and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Heat some oil and sauté the onion and bacon. Stir the tomato sauce and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Add béchamel sauce to the rice.
7. Butter a cake pan and coat with bread crumbs. Start by layering rice with béchamel sauce, then meatballs with mushrooms, then rice again, then tomato sauce with bacon. Repeat layering until you have used up all the ingredients.
8. Bake for 15 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and turn it over on your serving plate.

Romama’s Note: A Meatball Rice Cake always tastes better when served warm!

Related recipes:

1. Shrimp Creole over Rice
2. Golden Baked Rice
3. Rice Stuffed Vegetables

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 2 potatoes, boiled and peeled
• 2 carrots, boiled
• ½ cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup of Parmiggiano Regiano
• Oil for frying
• Plain bread crumbs to coat the meat balls
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a plate, mash the potatoes and carrots with a fork. Alternatively, for smother results, you can run the potatoes and carrots through a food mill or a potato ricer.
2. In a bowl – mix all the ingredients and knead until they are well combined. Using your hands, shape the meatballs and roll them in the bread crumbs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs until golden brown and cooked through.

Romama’s Note: You can hide any vegetable in these Meatballs with Hidden Vegetables as long as you first boil and then mash it. It’s a clever trick to make your children consume more vegetables even if they don’t like them.

Related recipes:

1. Greek Meatballs or Keftedakia
2. Rice Stuffed Vegetables
3. Baked Pasta With Mixed Vegetables

• 1 pound of medium size butter beans, presoaked for at least 5 hours
• 2 onions, grated
• ½ cup of olive oil
• 1 8oz can of crushed tomatoes or tomato juice
• 4 Italian sausages or salchichas (beef sausages)
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse and drain soaked butter beans. In a pot, add 3 quarts of water and beans. Bring to boil and cook for 15 minutes. Then drain.
2. In the same pot, add olive oil and onion. Heat the pot over medium heat and sauté onion until golden brown. Add beans and cover with hot water. Stir in tomato juice. Cook until beans are tender. If there is still too much coater in the pot, cook for a few minutes longer. Add salt and pepper.
3. Cut each sausage into three pieces and fry until lightly browned. Ten minutes before you remove the butter beans from heat, add sausages and let them cook together.

Romama’s Note: You can cook butter beans without any tomato juice or chopped tomatoes. In this case, the butter beans will have a stronger taste of sausage.

Romama’s 2^nd Note: In case you use chopped tomatoes instead of tomato juice, allow a few minutes before cooking the tomatoes, after having sautéed the onion and before adding the beans with the hot water.

Related recipes:

1. Butter Beans and Tuna Salad
2. Bean Salad or Salata De Fijon or Piaz
3. Okra With Chicken Drumsticks

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
• 2 slices of old bread, soaked in water or milk
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Oil for frying
• Flour to coat the meatballs
• Salt and pepper

The above ingredients will make almost 20-25 meatballs.

DIRECTIONS

1. Squeeze out the water and place the wet bread in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients and mix with your hands to combine well.
2. Shape the meatballs and place in a plate with flour to coat.
3. In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until all sides are golden brown and crisp.
4. Serve with pita or bread rolls. They can also be served with rice, mashed potatoes, French fries, or spaghetti.

Romama’s Note: Instead of ground beef, you can make delicious meatballs with ground chicken or turkey. In any case, you can also drop them in tomato sauce, allow them to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, and serve over any pasta of your choice.

Related recipes:

1. Meatballs with Hidden Vegetables
2. Spinach Pie or (The Greek Spanakopita)
3. Meatball Rice Cake