GREEK PENNE PASTITSIO

Greek Penne Pastitsio image

Number Of Ingredients 21

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8 ounces Dry whole wheat penne pasta
2 tablespoon Olive oil
1 1/2 cups Minced onions
1 pound Ground lamb
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup Pepperoncini, chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Tomato paste
2 teaspoons Dried oregano
1 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Dry red wine
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Fresh garlic, minced
2 cups whole milk
1 pinch ground cloves
2 eggs
1 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup Fresh parsley, chopped

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
For the casserole, cook penne in a pot of boiling salted water, 2 minutes less than package directions, drain.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high. Add onions and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add lamb, olives, pepperoncini, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and some red pepper flakes; cook, breaking up chunks of lamb with a wooden spoon, until cooked through; about 5 minutes.
Deglaze skillet with wine; cook until evaporated, 2 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Season sauce with salt and black pepper, stir in penne, then transfer to prepared dish.
For the béchamel, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, then add cloves; simmer until thickened; 5 minutes.
Whisk eggs in a bowl, add 1/2 cup milk mixture to eggs, then whisk back into milk mixture. Stir in feta and parsley; season béchamel with salt and black pepper. Pour béchamel over penne mixture. Bake pastitsio until bubbly and top is golden, 35 to 40 minutes; let stand 5 minutes before serving.