Pastitsio Greek Macaroni Pie 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.

MEAT AND MACARONI PIE - PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon oil and garlic powder.
• In a large frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic in a 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the meat and brown.
• Add the tomatoes ,tomato sauce, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley. Simmer until cooked through and the mixture has the consistency of a sauce.
• Using a greased oven proof dish, layer the cooked spaghetti and the meat mixture in the dish.
• Heat the butter, flour in microwave oven to make a paste about 30 seconds.
• Whisk eggs into milk. Add to roux and whisk to mix together. Micro 2 minutes. Whisk and micro 2 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in grated cheddar cheese. Pour over the casserole. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
• Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F.

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.

PASTITSIO - GREEK MACARONI

Steps:

• For Meat Layer.
• Saute onions in butter till soft.
• Add meat breaking up with spoon & cook till no pink remains.
• Drain off fat in a strainer & return meat in pan.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes.
• For Cream Sauce.
• Melt butter in large pot.
• Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.
• Lower heat and add cream and stock till smooth.
• Cook stirring constantly till sauce is thick & bubbly.
• Stir in cheese,salt and pepper and stir till cheese is melted & blended into sauce.
• Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
• Cook pasta according to directions on box.
• Beat eggs, 1/2 Cup cheese and Soft butter.
• Add to pasta, blending well.
• Assembly:.
• Spoon 1/2 of pasta into buttered 13X9X2 dish.
• Pour 1 Cup Sauce over pasta.
• Spoon on all of the meat mixture.
• Pour another 1 Cup sauce over meat.
• Add other 1/2 of pasta.
• Pour rest of sauce.
• Sprinkle 1/4 C cheese on top.
• Bake uncovered 350 F for 35 minutes.

PASTITSIO PIE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni until tender but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water,drain again and add 1/3 parmesan cheese and set aside.in skillet melt 1-1/2 tsp of the butter over med. heat,cook onion and garlic,stirring for 3 minutes.
• Stir in beef,oregano,cinnamon,salt and pepper;cook stirring for 7-10 minutes or until no longer pink.Drain off fat.
• Stir in tomatoes,tomatoe paste and vinigar.Cook stirring for 3 minutes.Remove from heat,stir in parsley. Set aside.
• SAUCE: in saucepan,melt butter over med heat. Whisk in flour,cook whisking for 2 minutes without browning.Pour in milk,cook,whisking for about 5 minutes or until thickened.Remove from heat stir in cottage cheese,egg,nutmeg,salt and pepper.
• Grease 10" pie plate with remaining 1-1/2 tsp butter. sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spoon in half of the macaroni,spread meat mixture evenly over top.
• Sprinkle with one third of the parmesan. Spoon remaining macaroni over top. Carefully pour sauce over macaroni.
• (NOTE: can be prepared to this point,covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes and add 10 minutes to baking time). Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Bake on baking sheet(or pan)at 350F for 50 to 60 monutes or until top is golden brown.