Pastitsio Coach House Restaurant New York Recipes

PASTITSIO, COACH HOUSE RESTAURANT NEW YORK

Steps:

• In a very large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat saute' onion in 3 tablespoons butter until tender. Add garlic; saute' two minutes. Add meat; cook over high heat, breaking up pieces, until browned. Add tomato sauce, wine, parsley, bay leaf, oregano, basil, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook sauce about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, or until most of liquid has been absorbed. Discard bay leaf; set sauce aside.
• In medium saucepan scald 6 cups cream and the milk. Meanwhile in heavy 5-quart saucepan melt remaining 1 cup butter. With wire whisk stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in hot cream-milk mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumping. Cook and stir about 15 minutes or until the sauce is thick and smooth. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and with pepper and nutmeg to taste. Remove from heat; let sauce cool 10 minutes. In bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining 1 cup cream. Gradually beat about 2 cups warm cream sauce into egg mixture. Return egg mixture to cream sauce; stir until blended.
• Grease 1 large shallow baking pan (7-quart capacity) or two 13 x 9-inch baking dishes. Spread half of macaroni in pan; sprinkle with half of Romano. Cover with half of cream sauce, smoothing it with back of large spoon. Spread on all of meat sauce. Top with layer of remaining macaroni, cream sauce and grated cheese. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 55 minutes or until covered with golden-brown crust. To serve in neatly cut squares, finish cooking at least 6 hours before serving. Let stand at room temperature; if day is warm, refrigerate. Cut in serving portions. To reheat, cover pan with foil; bake in preheated 350 degree oven 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 12 generous servings.
• Final Note: If the 400 degrees temperature seems too high, lower your oven temperature. (I bake at 375 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes). But again the temperature of 400 degrees is as the recipe appeared in the magazine. I am typing this from the original page, ripped from the 1983 magazine. The above 12 servings is correct according to the recipe, for the entire 7 quart casserole. Keep in mind that these are high end restaurant servings and apparently the portions are huge.
• But my experience has been that half the recipe is 12 servings. That is one 9 x 13 pan.

PASTITSIO (GREEK PASTA BAKE)

Steps:

• Heat in a large pot over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 - 3 minutes until onion is softened. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from red to brown.
• Add wine and and cook until the wine has mostly evaporated - about 3 minutes.
• Add remaining Meat Sauce ingredients. Stir well, bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium / medium low so it's simmering gently. Cook for 45 min to 1 hour until liquid is mostly gone, stirring every now and then. It should be a thick mixture with little liquid, not saucy like Spaghetti Bolognese (Note 4).
• Remove from stove and cool. Preferably to room temperature, otherwise for at least 30 minutes before assembling (lid off).
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir for 1 minute.
• While stirring, slowly pour half the milk in. It should turn into a wet paste. Then again, while stirring, pour in remaining milk - the paste should easily dissolve so it's lump-free. If not, just whisk vigorously.
• Cook, stirring so the base doesn't catch, for 5 minutes or until thick enough so it coats the back of a wooden spoon thickly and you can draw a path across it with your finger.
• Remove from stove. Stir in nutmeg, cheese and salt.
• Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Then whisk in egg yolks quickly. Place lid on and set aside. If sauce cools and gets too thick to pour, just reheat on a low stove until pourable.
• When you're ready to assemble, cook the pasta per packet instructions, minus 1 minute.
• Drain, then return to the pot. Leave to cool for 3 minutes, then stir through egg whites. Gently stir through crumbled feta.
• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
• Place pasta in a baking dish (33 x 22 x 7 cm / 9 x 13 x 2.75"), arranging them so they are all going in the same direction as best you can (for visual effect when sliced). Make the surface as level as you can.
• Top with Meat Sauce, then smooth the surface.
• Pour over Béchamel Sauce, then sprinkle over the cheese.
• Bake 30 min or until crust turns golden.
• Cool for at least 10 minutes so you can cut neat slices with tdhe layers neatly visible. Serve!

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.