Cypriot Lamb Tava With Tender Potatoes and Warm Tomato Spices
By Noah Bennett
Choose lamb shoulder with enough fat and ask for large, bone-in chunks; its fat keeps this Cypriot lamb tava tender through a long bake. This baked lamb-and-potato dish is coated in blended tomato, cinnamon, and cumin, with soft garlic and potatoes that absorb the pan juices.
Potatoes are peeled and quartered, while red onions are quartered and a whole cleaned garlic is scattered through the pan. Olive oil coats the ingredients before salt, black pepper, cinnamon, and cumin are mixed in. Smooth blended tomatoes cover the lamb and vegetables; the article notes that fresh tomatoes provide a juicy, pulpy sauce and help tenderise the meat. Red onions add subtle sweetness as they caramelise in the oven.
A 39-centimetre by 31-centimetre roasting pan keeps the contents in a single layer, a useful visual setup before covering. Wet, wrung-out parchment sits beneath tightly sealed foil, holding moisture during the 180°C fan-forced bake. The lamb should emerge tender and the potatoes saturated with tomato juices. Crowding the dish or leaving it loosely covered can interfere with the even, slow cooking described.
Rest the baked tava for 10 minutes after baking, then spoon the accumulated juices over the lamb and potatoes. Crusty bread is suggested for the pan juices, alongside salad, tzatziki, rice, or bulgur. Leftovers are kept in an airtight container in the fridge according to the article’s storage note.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Bone-in lamb shoulder supplies fat that withstands four hours of baking, while the bones and tomato juices reinforce the meat's full savory character.
- Fresh tomatoes are blended rather than sliced, creating a pulpy coating that reaches every potato quarter and supports the tender texture described in the recipe.
- Whole garlic cloves bake among the lamb instead of being minced, so their softened flavor spreads through the juices without requiring another sauce.
- Red onions contribute subtle sweetness as they caramelise, giving the tomato-and-spice base more depth from a short ingredient list in the pan.
- Cinnamon and cumin are the defining warm seasonings, and using both keeps the lamb's flavor aligned with the Cypriot style stated in the article.
- Four quartered potatoes absorb olive oil, tomato, and lamb juices, making a modest group of pantry ingredients carry the meal further.
Ingredients
- •2.5 kg lamb shoulder (cut into chunks)
- •4 potatoes (peeled and quartered)
- •2 onions (peeled and quartered)
- •1 whole garlic (cleaned)
- •1 cup olive oil
- •37.5 g salt
- •7.5 g black pepper
- •1 tsp ground cinnamon
- •1 tsp ground cumin
- •4 tomatoes (blended)
Instructions
- 1
Place the lamb shoulder into your baking dish along with the potatoes, onions, and cleaned garlic cloves.
- 2
Pour in the olive oil, then gradually add the salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cumin while mixing to ensure the lamb and vegetables are evenly coated with the seasonings.
- 3
Blend the tomatoes until smooth and pour them over the lamb and vegetables. Mix again to distribute the tomato sauce evenly throughout the dish.
- 4
Cover the baking dish with a layer of wet parchment paper, soaked and wrung out, to prevent it from touching the foil. Tightly seal with aluminium foil to retain moisture and steam.
- 5
Place the dish in a preheated oven at 180°C fan-forced and bake for 4 hours.
- 6
Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with crusty bread or your favourite sides.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
809
Protein
57g
Fat
50g
Carbs
33g
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