Pasticho Recipes

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, pork, onion, celery and carrot in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, bay leaf and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute mushrooms in butter and oil until tender. Add the cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in Parmesan cheese; cook and stir for 20-25 minutes or until thickened., Discard bay leaf from meat sauce. Spread 1-1/4 cups meat sauce into a greased 4-qt. baking dish. Top with six noodles. Layer with 1-3/4 cups meat sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, six noodles, 1-1/4 cups mushroom sauce, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers three times. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce, mushroom sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese (dish will be full)., Cover and bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Steps:

• For the meat sauce: In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the ground beef and sear without disturbing until brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Break it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook until deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the Aleppo and cinnamon and stir to combine. Tie the thyme sprigs together with butcher's twine and add to the meat sauce. Deglaze with the wine, reduce by half, then stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup water. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes have begun to break down, about 30 minutes.
• For the béchamel sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Whisk in the flour and allow to toast for 1 minute. Add the nutmeg and about a quarter of the milk and whisk as the mixture cooks and bubbles. Add another quarter of the milk and cook, whisking. Once the milk is incorporated, add the rest of the milk and whisk again. This will ensure a smooth bechamel sauce. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, whisking, until the mixture has thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the kefalotyri cheese until melted. Whisk in the eggs and set aside.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Do not stir as you will disturb it. In order to have even layers, the pasta needs to be cooked undisturbed, with all the noodles facing the same way. Cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the package instructions.
• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• To assemble: Brush a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with olive oil and set aside. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the pot and line the pasta evenly in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. All the noodles should be facing the same direction. Add the melted butter and kefalotyri cheese and season with black pepper. Remove the bundle of thyme from the meat sauce and pour the meat sauce on top of the pasta. Using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer without pressing down. Pour the béchamel over the meat sauce. Place the casserole dish onto the offset heat part of the grill, close the grill and bake until the top is golden brown and puffy, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
• Oven method: Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes.

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:

• 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:

• 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.

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:

• 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:

• For Abuela Chabe's seasoning: Combine the annatto, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and curry powder in a small bowl. Makes 2 3/4 tablespoons (see Cook's Note).
• For the beef: Fill a large saute pan with 1 inch of water and add a large, five-finger pinch of salt. Add the ground beef and cook over high heat, stirring every 2 minutes, until the liquid released by the ground beef has almost disappeared and you can only see fat, about 15 minutes. Let the beef fry in the fat for about 1 minute, then remove the beef to a large bowl, leaving the fat in the saucepan.
• Add the onion to the saute pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the 2 tablespoons of Abuela Chabe's Seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the cooked beef and season with salt. Stir in the tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce and cook until the mixture has reduced slightly, about 3 minutes. Taste and season again if necessary. Set aside.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and whisk until combined. Continue to whisk until the mixture turns the same yellow color as Dijon mustard and starts to smell slightly nutty, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk in five additions while whisking constantly, making sure to fully incorporate between each addition; this will ensure a smooth texture. Season with salt and cook until the bechamel coats the back of a spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. (If the sauce seems too thin, remember that it will continue to thicken as it sits.)
• For the assembly: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles, stirring occasionally and separating them to prevent sticking, until softened and bendable but still tough in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Spread 3 tablespoons of the meat sauce and 3 tablespoons of the bechamel on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Lay a single layer of noodles over the meat sauce and bechamel (if you're using long noodles, you will need to cut some noodles to fill the gaps). Spread half of the meat sauce (about 1 1/2 cups) over the noodles. Add another single layer of noodles. Spread 1/2 cup of the bechamel over the noodles. Top with 5 ounces of the ham and 6 ounces of the Gruyere.
• Repeat by adding another single layer of noodles, the remaining half of the meat sauce, another single layer of noodles, 1/2 cup of the bechamel, the remaining 5 ounces of the ham, 6 ounces of the Gruyere and a final single layer of pasta.
• Combine the remaining bechamel and the remaining 4 ounces of Gruyere (if using sliced cheese, crumble it up) and spread on top of the pasticho.
• Cook until bubbling gently around the edges, about 45 minutes. If the top has not browned, broil on high until a couple of brown spots appear, 1 to 2 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.