Pastitsio
For a more flavorful tomato sauce, add ¼ to ½ cup dry red wine in place of the water.
by: Three Many Cooks
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground lean ground beef or lamb
- 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed or ground peeled tomatoes
- 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 pound penne
- 1 can (12 ounces) regular or low-fat evaporated milk
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Heat a large soup kettle over medium-high heat. Add ground meat and cook until it loses its raw color and meat starts to sizzle. Add 4 of the garlic cloves, the cinnamon, oregano, pepper flakes, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant and spices are well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, sauce, and enough water (or wine see note above) for a sauce that is neither too gloppy nor too thin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to simmer, partially covered, until sauce is thick and richly flavored, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a generous 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to boil in a large pot. Add penne; stirring frequently at first to prevent sticking and following back-of-the-box times as a guide, cook until just tender. Drain and return to pot, stirring in a generous cup of the meat sauce.
- Meanwhile, microwave milk and broth in a 2-quart Pyrex measuring cup covered with a small plate, until steamy hot, 8 to 10 minutes. Heat butter and remaining 2 garlic cloves in a large saucepan until garlic is fragrant and golden; whisk in flour until well blended. Pour in hot milk mixture all at once; whisk vigorously until sauce is smooth and starts to bubble and thicken. Stir in ½ cup of the cheese and season to taste with nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Adding them one at time, vigorously and quickly whisk in eggs. Remove sauce from heat and if not using right away, place plastic wrap directly over the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread ½ of the pasta over pan bottom, top with meat sauce, ½ cup of the cheese, another layer of pasta, the white sauce, and remaining ½ cup of cheese.
- Cover pan with foil; bake until very hot, about 30 minutes. Leaving pan in place, remove foil and turn oven to broil. Watching carefully, broil until top is spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand to set, 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into portions and serve.
This is an excellent recipe! I questioned the cinnamon when I first read the ingredients, but the result is very tasty. It’s definitely worth the effort. Lasagna is so…average after pastitsio!
This looks so yummy, would like to make it tomorrow, what size baking dish did you use?