VRASTO ME HILOPITES

Another classic on the region’s Sunday table.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for the
• noodles
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 7 cups water
• 4 to 5 pounds whole bone-in beef shank,
• trimmed of fat
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound Greek hilopites or other egg noodles
• 4 large eggs
• Juice of 2 large lemons

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onions. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and steam the onions in the oil until very soft, about 15 minutes. Without removing the onions, add 3 cups of the water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the meat, season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer until the meat is very tender and almost falling off the bone, about 2 hours. Skim the foam off the surface of the water as the meat cooks.

2. Remove the meat and onions from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining 4 cups water to the pot, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer until tender. Do not drain. Remove the noodles with a slotted spoon and spread on a serving platter, tossing with a little olive oil to keep them from clumping together. Place the meat on top of the noodles in the center of the platter.

3. Make the egg-lemon sauce: Beat together the eggs and lemon juice in a bowl until frothy. Add a ladleful of the broth to the egg-and-lemon mixture in a slow, steady stream, beating all the while. Repeat with another ladleful of broth, then pour the mixture into the pot and stir to combine. Pour the avgolemono over the meat and noodles and serve immediately.