Pastitsio Oamc 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:

• Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add the pepper flakes, garlic, herbes de provence and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the four-spice powder. Add the lamb, raise the heat to medium high and let cook, breaking up any chunks, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced slightly. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until thick, about 45 minutes.
• To make the bechamel sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a medium pot set over medium heat. Melt the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the butter and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk the warm milk into the flour mixture. Add the remaining 2 pinches four-spice powder and cook for 5 minutes at a simmer, whisking often, until thickened. Remove from the heat.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly pour a quarter of the milk mixture into the eggs. Whisk the egg mixture back into the pot. Whisk in 1 cup of the cheese. Fold in the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and combine with the lamb sauce. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer to a large baking dish and top with the bechamel sauce and the remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake until the top is caramelized, about 45 minutes. Garnish with the parsley.

Steps:

• For the meat sauce, put some olive oil in a large pot; saute onion until lightly browned; add garlic; add meat and cook until brown, crumbling with a fork; add remaining meat sauce ingredients to skillet; mix well; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until quite thick; let mixture cool; remove and discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
• Prepare pasta by boiling until al dente in plenty of boiling, salted water; drain and place pasta in a large bowl; add butter, milk, eggs and 1/2 cup cheese; gently stir to coat; set aside.
• To prepare bechamel sauce, melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan; stir in flour until smooth, cook, whisking for 2 minutes; gradually add milk, stirring, until thickened; lower heat; add salt, pepper and nutmeg; remove from heat.
• In medium-sized bowl, beat 3 eggs; slowly add hot cream sauce to eggs; stir thoroughly so eggs don't curdle.
• Preheat oven to 350°F and butter or oil (with olive oil) a large baking pan (my pan is about 18" x 10").
• Empty 1/2 of the penne mixture over bottom of pan; cover evenly with all of meat sauce; sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over meat sauce; add remaining penne mixture, spreading evenly; sprinkle another 1/3 of the cheese over top; pour bechamel sauce evenly over entire casserole; top with remaining cheese.
• Bake until bechamel sauce sets and has golden-brown patches across top, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour; cool at least 20 minutes before cutting into pieces for serving.
• Freezer Notes: Once the baked pastitsio has completely cooked, cut serving-size pieces, double-wrap in foil and freeze. Defrost in the usual manner and reheat in microwave (or oven) for a delicious, quick meal, when there's little time to cook and dinner is ready and waiting in the freezer!

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:

• 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 F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook garlic, onions and beef until meat is browned; drain fat. Add tomatoes, pepper and oregano. Stir and cook about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese.
• Lightly coat a casserole or baking dish with olive oil and spread 1/2 the cooked pasta in it. Add the meat sauce and cover with the remaining pasta.
• Melt butter in a saucepan and blend in flour. Slowly add milk, stirring almost to boiling. In a bowl, blend remaining parmesan cheese and egg yolk and slowly add to the milk sauce, stirring constantly.
• Pour sauce over macaroni and bake for 30 minutes. Top should be golden and a little crispy.

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, oregano, pepper and, if desired, cinnamon; heat through., Drain macaroni; place half of macaroni in a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Layer with meat mixture and remaining macaroni. Set aside., Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and remaining salt until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened., Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into egg; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in remaining cheese. Pour sauce over macaroni., Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 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.