Skip to Content

Moschari Kokkinisto me kritharaki (Stewed Veal with orzo)

Moschari Kokkinisto me kritharaki (Stewed Veal with orzo)

Sharing is caring!

Moschari Kokkinisto me Kritharaki is a Greek dish made with stewed veal and orzo pasta is cooked in the sauce.  Although this dish is usually cooked with veal, it can also be made with beef of buffalo meat, lamb, pork, rabbit or chicken.

The veal is cooked in a tomato sauce and the cooking time differs for each kind of meat.   After the meat is cooked the pasta (usually orzo, hilopites or other type of small pasta)  is added and cooked in the sauce.

krithraki orzo image

In this recipe, I used “kritharaki” (orzo), which looks like rice but its bigger than rice and  comes in three sizes:   small, medium or large.

I usually cook the meat in a pressure cooker, which takes around half an hour and  I then transfer the meat, together with the sauce in a pyrex,  add more water and cook the pasta.

moschari-giouvetsi

You can also cook it on the stove top in a regular pot but more time will be need to cook the meat (around 1 hour and 15 minutes) and of course more water will have to be added.

collagemoschari kokkinisto image

Useful Tips:

  • Fresh tomatoes are pealed easily if make an X cut on the back side an we put them in hot water for a few seconds.
  • The easiest way to grate the onion is to do it in the Multi moulinette (food processor) with a couple tbsp olive oil, which you reserve from the quantity mentioned in the recipe. A few spins are enough as we don’t want to puree the onion.  This way we save time, effort and avoid tears. 
  • You can add any or all of these spices:  cinnamon stick, allspice berries, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper.
  • If  tomatoes are tart, add a grated carrot or a tablespoon of ketchup or honey in the sauce.
  • Put hot water in the pyrex, you gain about 10 minutes cooking time.
  • Meat: Use any meat suitable for a stew. I used to use chuck roast from veal, which is not bad but now I use (χτένι) which I found translated as flat iron which becomes fork tender.
  • To cook the orzo, you will need about 1 1/2 cups of fluid (sauce and water), for every 100 grams orzo used,
  • If you cannot find myzithra, substitute with kefalotyri, halloumi or parmesan.
Moschari Kokkinisto me kritharaki (Veal with orzo)

Moschari Kokkinisto me kritharaki (Veal with orzo)

Yield: 5
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Moschari Kokkinisto me Kritharaki is a Greek dish made with stewed veal and orzo pasta is cooked in the sauce  Although this dish is usually cooked with veal, it can also be made with beef of buffalo meat, lamb, pork, rabbit or chicken.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 kilo veal (see note) cut in servings (for those of you who like meat, increase quantity)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil or just enough to wet the bottom of your pan
  • 1 medium onion, grated or finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 carrot grated
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 cup red dry wine
  • 1 kilo ripe fresh tomatoes, blended (or 500 grams pummaro, slightly concentrated tomato juice)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cups water
  • Salt and freshly grated black pepper
  • 1 piece of cinnamon stick
  • 2 - 3 all spice berries
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp of my Greek Spice mixture
  • 5 cups hot water (or more as needed)
  • 500 grams medium or large kritharaki pasta (orzo)

Instructions

  1. Wash, peel and blend the fresh tomatoes 
  2. Wash, cut and drain the meat.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a pot (or pressure cooker) and sauté the meat in batches on both sides. Remove to a platter  Put all the meat back in the pot and add the onion and sauté for a few minutes and then add the garlic and sauté, for a few seconds and finally the carrot and celery and mix for 2 - 3 minutes.
  4. Add the wine and cook for a couple of minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
  5. Add salt, pepper, (cinnamon stick, all spice berries), bay leaf, my spice mixture, tomato paste, fresh tomatoes and 2 cups of water.
  6. Bring to a boil, cover pot with the lid and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the meat is tender (or ½ hour in the pressure cooker after the valve turns).
  7. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C / 350 F and transfer the cooked meat with the sauce into a Pyrex or baking tin. Discard the bay leaf and add the hot water.
  8. Add the pasta and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally  Add more water if necessary.
  9. Allow to rest for ten minutes and serve while warm.
  10. Grate some myzithra cheese on top and serve with feta.

Notes

I used to use chuck roast from veal, which is not bad but now I use (χτέ­νι) which I found translated as flat iron which becomes fork tender.

Nutrition Information

Amount Per Serving Calories 746.91Total Fat 23.35gSaturated Fat 5.2gSodium 1966.47mgCarbohydrates 90.87gFiber 7.77gSugar 10.37gProtein 35.14g

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

signature Ivy

Sharing is caring!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Helen

Thursday 5th of January 2017

I am feeling very glad to view your videos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love veal. These are my favourite dishes ............. I will try this dish very soon!!!

Ingrid

Friday 7th of June 2013

I just discovered your website through the Carole's Chatter linkup and I am glad I did, because I love Greek food, and giouvetsi is one of my favourite dishes :-) I'll have to try this recipe very soon.

Eftychia

Thursday 15th of September 2011

Γιατί μου το κάνεις αυτÏŒ??? ΕγÏŽ ακÏŒμα στις σαλάτες είμαι... Τρίτη εβδομάδα τÏŽρα. Πάντως η συνταγή είναι τέλεια!!!

tony

Monday 12th of September 2011

Sure Ivy, I am sure Beef would also be nice. It would take a couple more whistles on the cooker I guess :-)

tony

Sunday 11th of September 2011

I know I wil like this.. Will definitely try and let you know. We don't get Veal here, so maybe I will use mutton.

Ivy

Sunday 11th of September 2011

Hi Tony. Thank you for passing by. I think mutton would be great. You can also make it with beef if you like. Check out the changes I have made.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Privacy Policy · Copyright
Skip to Recipe