Greek Pastitsio Recipes

PASTITSIO

Steps:

• For the sauce, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the beef and lamb, and saute over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until it's no longer pink, crumbling it with the back of wooden spoon. Drain off any excess liquid, add the wine, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne, and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the bechamel, heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add the nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Stir in 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomato and meat sauce, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggs and yogurt and set aside.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Don't over-cook because the pasta will later be baked. Drain and set aside.
• Add the pasta to the meat and tomato sauce, and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spread the bechamel evenly to cover the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly. Set aside for 10 minutes and serve hot.

GREEK PASTITSIO RECIPE (GREEK LASAGNA WITH BéCHAMEL)

Steps:

• To prepare this traditional pastitsio recipe (pastichio), start with the meat sauce. Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and the beef. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and brown for 4-5 minutes. Pour in the red wine and wait to evaporate. Add the canned tomatoes, the sugar, cinnamon, clove, the bay leaf and season. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes, until most of the juices have evaporated. (After the meat is cooked, discard the bay leaf, the clove and the cinnamon)
• Prepare the bechamel sauce for the pastitsio. Melt the butter in a large pan over low-medium heat. Add the flour whisking continuously to make a paste. Add warmed milk in small batches, whisking continuously in order to prevent your sauce from getting lumpy. If the sauce still needs to thicken, boil over low heat whilst continuing to stir. Remove the pan from the stove and add the egg yolks, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and the grated cheese (50g/ 1.7oz.). Whisk quickly, in order to prevent the eggs from turning an omelette! Season with salt to taste.
• Cook the pasta for the pastitsio 2-3 minutes less than the package instructions, so that they don't get mushy after turning out of the oven later. Drain the pasta and stir in the egg whites and the feta cheese (smashed with a fork) and mix gently with a spatula.
• For this pastitsio recipe you will need a large baking dish, approx. 25*35 cm / 10*14 inch. Butter the bottom and sides of a pan and assemble the pastitsio. Layer the pasta, top with the meat sauce and even out. Top the pastitsio with the bechamel sauce and smooth out with a spatula.
• Sprinkle the pastichio with grated cheese and bake in preheated oven at 180C (350F) Fan for about 40 minutes, until crust turns a light golden brown. Let the pastitsio cool down for a while before serving.

PASTITSIO (GREEK BAKED PASTA WITH CINNAMON AND TOMATOES)

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add the lamb, breaking up the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon, and cook until the moisture has evaporated and the meat is browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the oregano, thyme and cinnamon, and season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the crushed and diced tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Start the béchamel: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium. Make the roux: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low. Whisk the flour into the butter until a smooth, golden paste forms, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk the warmed milk into the roux and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thick, about 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg and 1 cup cheese, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Once the water boils, cook the pasta according to package instructions until 2 minutes short of al dente (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and transfer it to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with 1/2 cup béchamel and carefully stir in 2 cups meat sauce. Spoon the remaining meat sauce on top, then drizzle evenly with the remaining béchamel. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese.
• Place dish on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake until the top is golden and begins to bubble, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the pasta to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

NIKKI'S PERFECT PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss with butter; add grated Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles; drain. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in tomato sauce, salt and cinnamon; heat through. Spoon over pasta. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese., In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened., In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Pour over beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese., Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes longer or until golden brown.,

PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ground beef, and cook until crumbly and no longer pink. Pour in the water and tomato paste. Season with salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon; cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, adjust salt to taste, then refrigerate until cold. Once cold, remove any congealed fat, and thoroughly mix with 2 beaten eggs, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, and rinse under cold water to cool. Mix the macaroni in 2 beaten eggs until well coated.
• Evenly spread half of the macaroni mixture into a 11x14x2 inch baking pan, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan cheese, and drizzle with 1/2 cup of melted butter. Spread the meat mixture overtop, then finish with the remaining macaroni. Sprinkle the macaroni with another 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and drizzle with 1/2 cup of melted butter.
• Whisk together 4 beaten eggs with the half-and-half, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, flour, and salt; whisk until well blended. Pour the cream mixture evenly over top of the pastitsio, and sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Cover the pan with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake until the top has turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

PASTICCIO

Steps:

• For the meat sauce: In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the ground beef and sear without disturbing until brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Break it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook until deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the Aleppo and cinnamon and stir to combine. Tie the thyme sprigs together with butcher's twine and add to the meat sauce. Deglaze with the wine, reduce by half, then stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup water. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes have begun to break down, about 30 minutes.
• For the béchamel sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Whisk in the flour and allow to toast for 1 minute. Add the nutmeg and about a quarter of the milk and whisk as the mixture cooks and bubbles. Add another quarter of the milk and cook, whisking. Once the milk is incorporated, add the rest of the milk and whisk again. This will ensure a smooth bechamel sauce. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, whisking, until the mixture has thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the kefalotyri cheese until melted. Whisk in the eggs and set aside.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Do not stir as you will disturb it. In order to have even layers, the pasta needs to be cooked undisturbed, with all the noodles facing the same way. Cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the package instructions.
• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• To assemble: Brush a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with olive oil and set aside. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the pot and line the pasta evenly in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. All the noodles should be facing the same direction. Add the melted butter and kefalotyri cheese and season with black pepper. Remove the bundle of thyme from the meat sauce and pour the meat sauce on top of the pasta. Using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer without pressing down. Pour the béchamel over the meat sauce. Place the casserole dish onto the offset heat part of the grill, close the grill and bake until the top is golden brown and puffy, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
• Oven method: Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes.

GREEK PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cook the macaroni according to the package directions and drain well. Return the cooked macaroni to the pot and add 1 cup of the melted butter, the milk, eggs, mizithra, feta, and Parmesan cheeses, nutmeg, and white pepper. Stir until well combined. Pour the macaroni mixture into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring until browned thoroughly, about 10 minutes. Drain well and set meat aside. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the oil, onion, and garlic. Sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato paste, red wine, beef broth, parsley, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour over the macaroni mixture. Place one sheet of the phyllo on top of the macaroni. Using a pastry brush and the remaining 1/2 cup of melted butter, lightly coat the phyllo with butter. Working quickly, add another sheet of phyllo and brush it with butter. Repeat the layers until you have used all 10 sheets of phyllo. (You may need to overlap the phyllo sheets to entirely cover the pasta.) Cut two or three vents in the top of the pastry.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the eggs and cheese are set. Cool the casserole slightly before cutting into squares and serving.
• Though working with phyllo dough takes a little extra work, Crystal is always thrilled with the results we get. So light and flaky, it makes a tasty topping for many casseroles and pastry dishes. We always work with frozen sheets of phyllo (it's inexpensive and awesome) and find that it is easiest to use when thawed in the refrigerator overnight.
• Here are a few of Crystal's tips for working with this delicate dough. Have a few things on hand when you start to layer the sheets: a pastry brush, a small bowl of melted butter, damp paper towels, and parchment paper. To get started, remove the pastry sheets from the package and unfold them onto parchment paper. Cover the dough with damp paper towels to keep the pastry moist. (Phyllo dries out quickly, so it's important to keep the dough covered.) Work with one sheet at a time, keeping the rest covered.
• You can store the sheets in the refrigerator for up to three days, wrapped well in foil, but do not try to refreeze any sheets that have been thawed. Unused packages can be stored in the freezer for up to a couple of months.

GREEK PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Cook macaroni; drain, and return to pan.
• Stir in the melted butter, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup milk, and the egg; set aside.
• In a a skillet or large saucepan, cook ground beef and onion until meat loses its pinkness and onion is soft; drain excess fat.
• Stir in tomato sauce, the 1 teaspoon salt, mint flakes (if used), cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper; set aside.
• In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter, then mix in flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Slowly stir in the 2 cups milk, stirring well after each addition so that no lumps form.
• Cook and stir on medium high until cream sauce starts to thicken; stir for one minute more, then remove from heat.
• Beat egg in a small bowl, then pour into cream sauce, stirring briskly.
• Blend in the 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Layer half the pasta mixture in a 11" x 7" (or 2 quart) baking dish.
• Spoon the meat mixture evenly on top, then the remaining pasta.
• Pour cream sauce over top, to cover completely.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350F for about 40 minutes, or until hot and lightly browned.
• Let stand for 10 minutes.

PASTITSIO I

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and onion, until meat is brown. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, tomato sauce and cinnamon and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Dump in flour, all at once, and stir until a smooth roux is formed. Pour in 2 1/2 cups milk, a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and 1/4 cup Parmesan; bring to a boil, and stir until thickened. Remove from heat.
• In a small bowl, beat together eggs and 1 cup milk. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place half the cooked macaroni in the baking dish and top with all of the beef mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan over the meat. Place the remaining macaroni over the cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the macaroni. Cover all with the white sauce.
• In a medium bowl, stir together bread cubes and melted butter, until bread is well coated. Place bread cubes evenly over macaroni.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.