Chef notes
Youvetsi is comfort food made by yiayias, Greek grandmothers. The dish, which takes its name from a clay cooking vessel, is a super easy one-pot dish (clay or not!) that’s perfect for a busy weeknight. You may have had orzo before, the small pasta of Italy, but maybe you haven’t heard of kritharaki, the Greek version. It’s got a similar shape (kritharaki means “little barley”) and flavor, but the durum wheat of Greece gives it a nice extra chew — still, you can make it with Italian orzo if that’s what you can find. The dish has a subtle spice to it from the allspice, cinnamon and Aleppo pepper — you don’t want them to come across too strongly; they should all blend into the background.
Swap options: Instead of Greek orzo (kritharaki), you can use regular orzo. Swap Aleppo pepper, a mild crushed chili pepper, with a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika. Kefalograviera is a hard, smooth yellow cheese; substitute with an aged manchego and a pinch of salt.
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