Pastichio Recipes

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss with butter; add grated Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles; drain. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in tomato sauce, salt and cinnamon; heat through. Spoon over pasta. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese., In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened., In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Pour over beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese., Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes longer or until golden brown.,

Steps:

• In a hot pan melt 4 ounces of butter, add ground chuck, chopped onion, salt, and pepper. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, bay leaf, and cinnamon and cook over medium flame for about 35 minutes.
• Cook macaroni in boiling water, strain and put back in pot to keep warm.
• Place a 1/4 of the grated cheese in a 11 by 14-inch pan, and then a layer with 1/3 of the pasta. Continue until both ingredients are used up. Spread on the meat sauce.
• Mix the final layer, the Pastitsio Crema by mixing 4 ounces of melted, cooled butter and 3/4 cup of flour. Heat 3 1/2 cups of milk and pour a little over flour and butter mixture then pour the rest of the mixture into the milk. Add 5 beaten eggs and stir thoroughly over medium flame until mixture thickens. Pour the crema on top of the meat sauce and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until brown. Cool for 1 hour before cutting.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Start cooking the pasta.
• While pasta is cooking, separate meat in a skillet or shallow pan. When a little brown, add 1 to 2 cans of tomato paste. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon; and a little water to help cook if necessary.
• While the meat is cooking start on the crema (bechamel style sauce). Mix the eggs with the milk in large pot. Add in 1 cup of flour and whisk constantly until it thickens and all lumps are gone. Add the remaining flour at 1/4 cup at a time if needed (the mixture will be very thick). Turn heat to low and continue stirring constantly. Once lumps are gone and the consistency is correct, add the butter and 1 cup of the parmesan, and stir in.
• Drain the pasta and mix in about one and a half cups of the crema and 3/4 cup of the remaining parmesan. Put half of the pasta mixture into a greased 9x13 dish (if you have a deeper or larger one I would use that). Layer meat on top of noodles. Add remaining pasta on top of the meat and then spread all of the crema on top. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
• Bake at 170C/fan for 45-50 minutes or until top is slightly brown and let it cool 15 minutes before cutting.
• Serve with a small Greek or Italian salad and enjoy!

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cool macaroni, but not until completely done as it will be cooked in oven also drain well.
• Brown onion in butter until golden. Add ground meat and brown until redness is gone.
• Add seasonings, tomato sauce and water and continue cooking slowly until water is absorbed.
• Add beaten eggs, meat sauce and cheese to drained macaroni and mix thoroughly.
• Spread in greased, 10 x 15 inch deep baking pan.
• In a sauce pan, add all cream sauce ingredients and cook slowly.
• Mixing continuously until starts bubbling.
• Remove and spread on top of macaroni in pan.
• Sprinkle cinnamon over and bake for about 1 hour or until golden.
• You my sprinkle more parmesan cheese over also.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta, and drain; reserve. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook lamb, breaking apart pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a colander; drain fat, and discard. Return lamb to pan; add wine. Cook over medium heat until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, cinnamon, and 2 cups water; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make Parmesan cheese sauce while mixture is simmering: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour until incorporated, about 30 seconds. In a slow steady stream, whisk in milk until there are no lumps.
• Cook, whisking often, until mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in cayenne, if desired, and Parmesan.
• Add pasta to lamb mixture; transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour sauce over the top, smoothing with the back of a spoon until level. Bake until browned in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Prehead the oven to Gas Mark 6/200c/fan oven 180c. In a lidded non stick saucepan, dry fry the mince for 5 minutes, stirring to break up the meat. Pour in the passata, season, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the pasta for 10 minutes or according to the packet instructions until tender.
• To make a white sauce, blend the cornflour with a little of the milk in a non stick pan to make a smooth paste, then mix in the rest of the milk. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened, then simmer for 2 minutes.
• Drain the pasta and mix with the meat sauce. Tip into a baking dish and pour the white sauce on top. Scatter with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Steps:

• Parboil the pasta. Drain and put in the baking pan. You should toss it around in some butter, oil, or margarine to keep it from sticking. Then add a generous amount of grated cheese and toss. You also have the option of placing half the pasta in the dish, filling the middle layer with meat sauce, and adding more pasta on top. You also have another option of tossing the pasta and the meat sauce together and leaving it like that. Do whatever your heart desires. You may also toss in some egg whites. Beat them a bit with a fork, and then toss them around with your hands into the pasta mixture. They just do this so they don't waste the eggs. It really doesn't make it tastier or anything.
• For the meat sauce in a large pot, sauté the onion, garlic, and parsley in the oil until the onions turn translucent. Then add tomato paste (optional) and stir for a few seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add chopped meat. Stir, let it release some juice. You could, at this point, add a splash of red wine for change in taste but it's really not necessary.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, cloves, and cinnamon, and let the tomatoes release some juice. Stir.
• Add the tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes and stir. Taste for salt.
• Add a cup or two of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer on low for an hour and a half or until there is no water left in the pot.
• Now, as I said before, you have the option of layering the meat sauce, or mixing it in with the pasta.
• For the béchamel, in a saucepan on low heat, melt one stick and a half of butter.
• Gradually add flour and whisk until the roux forms a gunky ball and you can't stir anymore.
• Gradually add 6 cups of milk and the bouillon (if you want it). I'd say even 5 and 1/2, because I like my sauce really thick. Stir occasionally and make sure you whisk away the flour caught around the edges with a rubber spatula and whisk again. Once the sauce thickens, remove from heat. Add grated cheese, the egg yolks (slowly so they don't curdle while whisking very fast), the nutmeg. Add a pinch of salt (if necessary)and pepper. If you like creamy sauce, make it with the full six cups of milk.
• Make sure your pasta and meat sauce are at an even level in the pan, and then pour in the béchamel on top. Even it out with a spatula.
• You may top with more grated cheese, nutmeg, cinnamon, or even breadcrumbs.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.
• Lastly and most importantly, let the pastitsio rest for an hour or two before eating. The béchamel has to set and solidify a little bit. If you don't wait, the sauce will gush out.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, oregano, cinnamon, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pureed tomatoes; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al-dente, about 2 minutes less than box instructions. Drain; set aside.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and beginning to smell nutty, about 2 minutes. Gradually add milk, then cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat; whisk in nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in egg yolk to combine.
• Arrange pasta in an even layer in bottom of dish. Spoon meat sauce over pasta. Spoon béchamel over meat sauce; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake until top is golden and set, and mixture is bubbling in the center, about 45 minutes. Let stand at least 30 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Melt butter until golden brown and pour over ziti, add Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Cool briefly. Add eggs and toss again; set aside.
• To make meat sauce: Gently fry onion and garlic in butter in a skillet until onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase heat and add ground beef; stir well. Cook until meat begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, wine, broth, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
• To make cream sauce: Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently for 2 minutes. Pour in milk all at once and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil gently for 1 minute. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cool slightly before stirring in beaten egg. Transfer 1/2 cup of this sauce to the meat sauce.
• To assemble pastitsio: Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spoon half of the prepared ziti evenly in the bottom and top with meat sauce. Top with remaining ziti. Pour on cream sauce and spread to completely cover ziti. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares.