Arni sto fourno – Greek roast lamb with potatoes Recipe
Arni sto fourno is slow-roasted lamb with potatoes, garlic, and lemon, often served in Greece for family Sundays and holidays. The meat is tender, juicy, and lightly lemony, while the potatoes soak up all the flavor of the sauce. It’s a bit like a classic roast with potatoes, just more herb-forward and fragrant with olive oil.
This dish captures the essence of Greek home cooking: simple ingredients, slow roasting, and lots of lemon, herbs, and olive oil. The lamb becomes incredibly tender, and the potatoes soak up all the aromatic juices, giving you a complete, comforting meal from one pan.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality olive oil and don’t rush the marinating or roasting time – the longer, gentle heat is what makes the lamb so soft. If your lamb has a thick layer of fat, you can trim some of it off, but leave a bit so the meat stays juicy and flavors the potatoes.
How to serve
Serve straight from the baking dish placed in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves. Add a bowl of Greek-style salad, some crusty bread to mop up the sauce, and, if you like, a side of tzatziki or plain yogurt with herbs.
Ingredients
- lamb pieces on the bone, e.g. shoulder or leg - 1.2 kg
- potatoes peeled, cut into thick wedges - 1 kg
- garlic 3 cloves for the meat, 2 for the marinade - 5 cloves
- lemon juice and grated zest of one - 2 pieces
- olive oil - 5 tablespoons
- oregano dried - 2 teaspoons
- rosemary dried or 2 sprigs fresh - 1 teaspoon
- salt for rubbing the meat and potatoes
- pepper freshly ground
- water for roasting - 250 ml
- butter optional, for drizzling over the meat - 20 g
Preparation
- Rinse the lamb and pat dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to make several deep cuts in the meat.
- Cut three garlic cloves in half and push them into the cuts in the meat. Rub the meat thoroughly with salt and pepper on all sides.
- In a bowl, mix the juice of one lemon, the grated zest of the same lemon, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 garlic cloves pressed through a garlic press, oregano, and rosemary. Pour the marinade over the meat, massaging it in well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or for a few hours in the fridge.
- Peel the potatoes, cut them into thick wedges, and transfer to a large baking dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and mix with your hands so every piece is coated with the seasoning.
- Place the marinated meat on top of the potatoes along with all the marinade. Pour water and the juice of the second lemon into the dish, trying not to wash the seasoning off the meat.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil or a lid. Place in an oven preheated to 180°C (top and bottom heat) and roast for 1.5 hours. Halfway through, you can gently stir the potatoes so they roast evenly.
- After 1.5 hours, remove the foil; if using butter, dot small pieces over the meat. Increase the temperature to 200°C and roast for another 20–30 minutes, until the meat and potatoes are nicely browned and the edges of the potatoes are slightly crisp.
- After removing from the oven, let the meat rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle. Serve sliced into portions, with the potatoes and the sauce from the bottom of the dish.
Storage
Mięso i ziemniaki przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku do 3 dni. Możesz też zamrozić porcje mięsa bez ziemniaków na około 2 miesiące. Podgrzewaj pod przykryciem w piekarniku z odrobiną wody lub bulionu, żeby mięso nie wyschło.
