Best Meatless Pastitsio Recipes

MEATLESS PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brush 9x13-inch baking dish with some of melted butter.
• Cook macaroni in large pot of boiling salted water until tender;drain well.
• Mix with half of remaining melted butter in a large bowl.
• Toss with cheeses.
• Blend in eggs,milk and pepper.
• Spoon into prepared dish.
• (Can be prepared 1 day ahead to this point, covered and refrigerated.If refrigerated, bring to room temperature before continuing.).
• Cover dish with phyllo, brushing each sheet with some of remaining butter.
• Score top 3 sheets with tip of sharp knife.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 300 degrees and bake 35 minutes.
• Let stand 15 minutes.
• Cut into squares and serve.

VEGETARIAN PASTITSIO

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.