Roasted lamb chops on orzo 

Lamb chops lend themselves to different types of cooking. Let's start with the lightest and most classic version of this tender and tasty second course: baked lamb chops. This type of cut is one of the most tender, it can be cooked for a day of celebration or throughout the period from March to June, when lamb meat is particularly tasty, accompanied, why not, by slightly crispy potatoes. But I will talk about the side dish to match later. Before cooking the lamb chops, you can marinate the meat the night before to make it tastier and release delicious aromas during cooking. The time to make this recipe is really short and you will need few ingredients. Now let's see how to cook lamb chops.

The third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea is Cyprus, the southernmost and easternmost territory of the European Community in the Mediterranean. The strategic position of the island between East and West is reflected in the whole Cypriot culture. Cypriot cuisine is typically Mediterranean, very close to the Greek one, but with Middle Eastern influences from neighboring Turkey and other civilizations such as Lebanese, Syrian. From this wonderful island I propose the  lamb with orzo.

Ingredients

 2 cloves of garlic

2 lamb chops

800 gr chopped peeled tomatoes

sprigs of thyme

4 sprigs of parsley

3 bay leaves

water

250 gr of orzo grain pasta

Salt and pepper

Preparation

First clean the meat from excess fat, cut cuts with a knife and push the meat down to free the bone. Put the lamb ribs in a baking dish and add salt and pepper, rosemary, thyme and peppercorns. Pour the extra virgin olive oil and a grated lemon zest over the meat, finally a clove of garlic cut in half and cover with plastic wrap. Let marinate in the fridge for about 2 hours, then peel 600 grams of potatoes, cut them into wedges and transfer them to a bowl. Season with a clove of garlic and rosemary. Add salt and pour a little oil. On a lightly greased baking dish, place the lamb ribs with the potatoes around. Cook the ribs in a preheated static oven at 200 °C for 50 minutes. Pour water over the tomato sauce and add orzo grain pasta that has the function of replacing barley. Put the lamb back on the baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and cover again with aluminum foil. Bake the pan again with the lamb and wait until the pasta becomes hard. Remove the bay leaves and let the lamb rest for 10 minutes and then serve it in slices on tomato sauce and pasta, all decorated with sprigs of fresh thyme.

Note

You can choose between a side dish of crispy fries, stuffed vegetables or grilled eggplant and zucchini, a mixed salad, sweet and sour onions or peas, artichokes or couscous flavored with spices. Or like I've done with orzo, yes orzo. Many recipes and combinations to tantalize the palate! Orzo is among the most fiber-rich cereals that Mother Nature has made available to us. It is also an ingredient with a pleasant taste and very versatile in the kitchen. Soups, salads, even risotto.