Orzo beef casserole (giouvetsi)

Instructions

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel.
In a deep pot, heat the olive oil and sear the meat on all sides for about 3-4 minutes per side.
Add all our vegetables, whole, the onion, carrot, leek, and finally the garlic, and let them cook in the oil.
Add the tomato paste and rub it into the base of the pot to cook for 1 minute.
Deglaze with the wine, then add the grated tomatoes and 1.5 liters of water.
Add the bay leaf and allspice.
Tie the parsley stems with string and add them to the sauce.
Cover and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1.5 hours.
Toward the end of cooking, season with salt and pepper.
In a wide pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the orzo until well coated.
Transfer the orzo to a baking dish and place the stewed beef on top.
Remove the vegetables (onion, carrot, leek) from the sauce and pour the sauce over the orzo. The sauce should cover the pasta. If it has reduced too much, add boiling water to raise the level to about 3 centimeters above the orzo.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) with top and bottom heat and bake on the lower rack for 30 minutes.
Alternatively, bake with the fan setting at 160°C (320°F) on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes.
Stir the mixture once during baking.
Toward the end of cooking, if desired, sprinkle with grated kefalotyri.
Serve the giouvetsi almost immediately after it comes out of the oven, once the orzo has absorbed its liquid.
Recommended beef cuts are chuck (with or without bone) or shoulder clod.

The correct water-to-orzo ratio in giouvetsi varies. A good general guideline is 1 part pasta to 3 parts liquid.
The baking dish you use and how quickly it heats up matter. Cooking time differs depending on whether you use ceramic, glass, or metal.
Preheat your oven thoroughly. If using a heavy dish (like ceramic or glass), it helps to preheat the dish as well. Adding hot liquid to a hot dish will kick-start the cooking process.
Remove the giouvetsi from the oven while the orzo is still al dente and the dish is still quite juicy.
Let the hot giouvetsi rest on the counter to absorb a bit more liquid and finish cooking. This way, it will be silky without becoming mushy, with plump and tender grains of orzo.
Sautéing the orzo in a little olive oil before baking helps seal the pasta and prevents it from becoming soggy.
Alternatively, boil the orzo in salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain it, rinse with cold water to remove excess starch, toss it with a little oil, and let it drain well before continuing with the recipe.

A final trick for the best, most perfectly cooked giouvetsi: as soon as the dish comes out of the oven, while still hot and juicy, add 2-3 ice cubes. The sudden drop in temperature will stop the cooking immediately, keeping the orzo tender and separated.