Best Greek Pastitsio With Lentils Recipes
PASTITSIO (GREEK BAKED PASTA WITH CINNAMON AND TOMATOES)
This comforting Greek baked pasta, which bears a striking resemblance to lasagna, derives its name from the Italian word "pasticcio." That translates to English as "a mess," indicating the forgiving, flexible nature of the dish. Many traditional pastitsio recipes call for beef -- which you can certainly use here -- but we use ground lamb for a fresh take on a classic (and many cooks prefer a combination). Because kefalotyri cheese and the long tubular noodles traditionally used in pastitsio can't be found in most American supermarkets, we substituted Parmesan and ziti in their place, but by all means, if you can get your hands on the real things, use them. The noodles and spiced meat sauce are layered in a casserole dish then topped with a creamy béchamel sauce and baked until golden. It's project cooking that's perfect for a cold winter's night.
Provided by Colu Henry
Categories pastas, main course
Time 1h45m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
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.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 809, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 62 grams, Fat 45 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 39 grams, SaturatedFat 21 grams, Sodium 1044 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams, TransFat 0 grams
GREEK PASTITSIO WITH LENTILS
Provided by Marian Burros
Categories dinner, weekday, casseroles, main course
Time 45m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 307, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 44 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 12 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 347 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams
VEGETARIAN PASTITSIO
From: "The Vegetarian Epicure" by Anna Thomas, first edition 1972. This book was a real find! Greek-Style casserole.
Provided by Engrossed
Categories Lentil
Time 1h30m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
- Add onions, eggplant, garlic and seasonings. Cover and let saute, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and lentils with a little liquid. Cook until very thick.
- Stir in tomato paste and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Butter a large casserole of oblong baking dish and layer half of the noodles across the bottom. Sprinkle one third of the parmesan over the noodles. Layer half of the sauce over noodles and parmesan.
- Layer the remaining half of the noodles over the sauce, sprinkle with one third of the parmesan and cover with the remaining sauce. *You could refrigerate it at this point if you want to make it ahead of time.
- Custard Sauce:.
- Heat butter in a saucepan over low heat, stir in flour, and let roux cook a few minutes.
- Pour in heated milk, stirring with a whisk.
- Slowly whisk sauce into beaten eggs.
- Pour sauce over entire casserole. It should drain through to the bottom and bind the whole thing together. If it sits on top, slide a butter knife in and out of the layers in a few places.
- Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and cover.
- Bake for 1 hour.
- Serve very hot.
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