Pastitsio Greek Macaroni Pie Recipes

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:

• Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon oil and garlic powder.
• In a large frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic in a 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the meat and brown.
• Add the tomatoes ,tomato sauce, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley. Simmer until cooked through and the mixture has the consistency of a sauce.
• Using a greased oven proof dish, layer the cooked spaghetti and the meat mixture in the dish.
• Heat the butter, flour in microwave oven to make a paste about 30 seconds.
• Whisk eggs into milk. Add to roux and whisk to mix together. Micro 2 minutes. Whisk and micro 2 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in grated cheddar cheese. Pour over the casserole. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
• Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F.

Steps:

• 1. Saute onion in butter or olive oil in large heavy pan or skillet until soft. Stir in beef and cook until lightly brown.Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and oregano. Stir in tomato puree and parsley. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Cook macaroni in large kettle of well salted boiling water until tender but still slightly firm. Drain, then rinse in lukewarm water. Mix cooking oil well through macaroni to prevent it from sticking together.
• 2. CREAMY TOPPING----Melt butter and blend in flour. Stir in milk and cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to make a thin white sauce. Dip out 1 cup of hot sauce and pour thin stream into yolks, stirring constantly until well- blended. Pour mixture back into rest of sauce and stir for a few minutes over low heat. Do not allow to boil. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• 3. In greased 9x13 pyrex casserole, put a thin layer of macaroni, a layer of meat sauce, a second layer of macaroni, and a second layer of meat sauce. Pour creamy topping over all. Jiggle the dish so that some sauce runs through all layers. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 15-20 minutes. Cut into large squares and serve from pan.

Steps:

• Cook macaroni until tender but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water,drain again and add 1/3 parmesan cheese and set aside.in skillet melt 1-1/2 tsp of the butter over med. heat,cook onion and garlic,stirring for 3 minutes.
• Stir in beef,oregano,cinnamon,salt and pepper;cook stirring for 7-10 minutes or until no longer pink.Drain off fat.
• Stir in tomatoes,tomatoe paste and vinigar.Cook stirring for 3 minutes.Remove from heat,stir in parsley. Set aside.
• SAUCE: in saucepan,melt butter over med heat. Whisk in flour,cook whisking for 2 minutes without browning.Pour in milk,cook,whisking for about 5 minutes or until thickened.Remove from heat stir in cottage cheese,egg,nutmeg,salt and pepper.
• Grease 10" pie plate with remaining 1-1/2 tsp butter. sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spoon in half of the macaroni,spread meat mixture evenly over top.
• Sprinkle with one third of the parmesan. Spoon remaining macaroni over top. Carefully pour sauce over macaroni.
• (NOTE: can be prepared to this point,covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes and add 10 minutes to baking time). Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Bake on baking sheet(or pan)at 350F for 50 to 60 monutes or until top is golden brown.