Pasta and meatballs are a perfect match, but for a unique spin on this classic duo we turned to lamb instead of beef or pork, and to orzo instead of spaghetti, and we enhanced the dish with fresh, bold Greek flavors like mint, oregano and cinnamon.

A panade — a simple paste of Greek yogurt and panko — kept the meatballs moist and lent the dish welcome tangy flavor.

We browned the meatballs, creating lots of flavorful fond in the pot. Using some of the rendered fat to cook our aromatics gave our orzo pilaf a super-savory base.

After toasting the orzo to golden brown, we added a combination of white wine and chicken broth and cooked the orzo until it was nearly tender. We were then able to simply nestle our seared meatballs back into the pot to cook them.

We finished the dish with a bright topping of cherry tomatoes, more fresh mint and feta, which cut through the richness for a highly satisfying one-pot meal.

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH ORZO, TOMATOES AND FETA

By America’s Test Kitchen

• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint, plus 2 tablespoons torn leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 cups orzo
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)

Mash yogurt, panko and water into a paste. Stir in egg, minced mint, half of garlic, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and cinnamon. Add lamb and knead with hands until thoroughly combined. Pinch off and roll mixture into 18 separate 1-1/2 inch meatballs.

Heat oil in Dutch oven or large pot over medium- high until just smoking. Brown meatballs on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot.

Add onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to pot; cook over medium heat until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid has been absorbed and orzo is almost tender, 7 to 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and nestle meatballs into orzo. Cover and cook until meatballs are cooked through and orzo is tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with tomatoes, feta and torn mint. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 986 calories, 37 g total fat, 14 g saturated fat, 179 mg cholesterol, 463 mg sodium, 97 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 57 g protein.

America’s Test Kitchen publishes the magazines Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated, as well as numerous cookbooks, and produces the PBS television show, “America’s Test Kitchen.” For recipes, cooking videos and product reviews go to americastestkitchen.com. This recipe is from the cookbook “Cook It in Your Dutch Oven.”