Kittencals Greek Pastitsio Recipes

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

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.

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.,

KITTENCAL'S GREEK PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• In a large pot cook the pasta in boiling water with 1 tablespoons salt until al dente; drain and return the cooked pasta to the pot.
• To the pasta add in 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, pinch nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; mix until combined then allow to cool slightly.
• Add in eggs and mix well; set aside.
• For the meat sauce; heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat; add in onion and crushed chili flakes, cook for about 4 minutes.
• Add in garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add in extra lean ground beef; cook breaking up the meat with a spoon or fork until browned.
• Add in tomato paste, wine, beef broth, salt and pepper; mix well, then cover and simmer over low heat for about 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile while the meat sauce is cooking prepare the bechamel sauce; melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour and cayenne pepper; cook stirring for about 2 minutes.
• Add in cream and nutmeg; bring to a boil whisking/stirring constantly then cook for about 1 minute.
• Cool for about 10 minutes before whisking in the egg.
• Season with salt and black pepper.
• Remove about 1/2 cup bechamel sauce and mix into to the already cooked ground beef mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• TO ASSEMBLE; spoon HALF of the ziti mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.
• Top the ziti mixture with ALL of the meat sauce, then top with remaining ziti mixture.
• Pour ALL the bechamel sauce over the ziti mixture then spread out with a spoon to cover.
• Top with about 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (can use more or less).
• Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.
• Allow to rest for about 20 minutes before slicing.

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:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f/Gas mark 4.
• Cook the macaroni as pack instructions until tender. Drain.
• Meanwhile, fry the minced beef and onions until brown. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs and seasonings. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• To prepare the topping, melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Blend in the milk and bring to the boil, still stirring. As soon as it thickens remove from the heat. Be careful not to burn it. Stir in 100g of the cheese, the yoghurt and the beaten egg.
• Combine the macaroni and minced beef mixture and put into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the topping and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden. Stand for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the topping to firm up.

GREEK PASTITSIO WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Cook the macaroni in enough boiling water to cover for about 10 minutes, and drain. Cool under cold running water and reserve.
• Cook the lentils in 4 cups boiling water for about 25 minutes or until tender. Drain.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet heat the oil. When hot, add the onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the wine, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the wine has evaporated and the onion is tender. Add the cinnamon, tomato sauce and lentils; simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• In a medium-size saucepan heat the milk. Whisk in the oat bran and nutmeg, and simmer for 1 minute, stirring constantly; remove from the heat. Stir the macaroni into the milk mixture, and mix well.
• Spoon half the macaroni mixture onto the bottom of a 9-inch-square baking pan. Spoon half the lentil mixture on top, spreading evenly. Repeat with the remaining macaroni and lentils. Sprinkle on the cheese. Cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes or until the pastitsio is hot.