Lamb Kleftiko

This dish has alot of folklore surrounding it. This recipe is an adaptation of a dish fixed in the mountains by guerillas (bandits) who needed to cook without being seen. They placed the meat on coals in a hole, covered it up, and let it cook for up to 24 hours. No trace of any stolen animal, and no smell of cooking meat to give them away.

In modern days, it's the name given to a dish where a packet of food is formed, be it foil, parchment paper or in this case, phyllo pastry. Although I've had this dish many times at Greek restaurants, I've never tried it at home until now.

Here in Toronto's Greektown or The Danforth, a popular eatery named Zinni's Mezes of Rhodes has had this dish on their menu since it's inception and it's still it's most ordered entree.

This recipe is adapted from a Christine Cushing Food Network Canada show and it's courtesy of Sue Zindros of Mezes. They used chicken on this program but I went hardcore Greek with the use of lamb.

Lamb Kleftiko

Spinach Filling

• 4 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp kefalograviera cheese or 1 tsp parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped dill

Stir-Fried Filling

• 1/4 pepper
• 1/4 medium green pepper, sliced, thinly
• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp white wine
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp margarine or 2 tbsp butter
• 8 sheets phyllo pastry
• 1 1/2 diced stewing lamb meat, seasoned & stir-fried
  
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 4 thin tomato, slices
• 4 tsp kefalograviera cheese, grated

Directions:

Spinach Filling

1. Sauté the spinach and onion in olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Drain spinach and add the pepper, feta, kefalograviera (or Parmesan) and the dill.
3. Blend and set aside.

Stir-Fried Filling

1. Sauté all the ingredients up to but not including the pastry together until the liquid is reduced and mixture thickens.
2. Set aside.

Assembly

1. Divide your lamb meat into 4 equal portions
2. Place 1 tomato slice on top of 1 good spoonful of lamb meat.
3. Cut tomato slice to fit if it overhangs the lamb.
4. Place one heaping tablespoon of the stir-fry filling on top of the tomato.
5. Continue by placing one heaping tablespoon of spinach filling and end with one teaspoon of grated kefalograviera cheese.
6. Place another spoonful of lamb meat on top and the sandwich is ready to be wrapped with the phyllo pastry.
7. Take 2 sheets of phyllo and place the longest side parallel to your counter.
8. Butter the top sheet. Place the lamb sandwich in the middle to bottom end of the phyllo sheet.
9. Fold the sides over the lamb and butter the folds.
10. Starting with the end with the lamb, fold phyllo around lamb until you make a little package.
11. Repeat this process with the rest of the lamb and place the lamb kleftikos on an ungreased baking sheet.
12. Butter the tops of all four kleftikos and bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden.

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