Before this senior project, I didn't really know that much about Greek culture except what I watched in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Mamma Mia, 300, Clash of the Titans, Troy and Disney's Hercules. I went to my resident Greek friend and asked what I should make for dinner. She immediately said pastitsio, which I discovered is essentially Greece's lasagna. There are many different versions of pastitsio depending on which Mediterranean culture you're cooking for (Italy, Greece, Malta, Cyprus and Egypt all have their own versions). We're going to stick with Greece for this project, but feel free to research and explore different recipes! I used this one, which I adapted below.
Pastitsio Ingredients:
1 lb. bucatini pasta (use penne or something similar if you can’t find it)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. butter at room temperature
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 batch Greek meat sauce (recipe follows)
1 batch Béchamel sauce (recipe follows)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Pastitsio Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Cook the bucatini until barely al dente in a large pot of lightly salted water. Drain, and then mix well with the beaten egg, butter, and the cheese. Toss until butter has melted.
3. Pour half the pasta mixture into a 3 qt. baking dish. Layer the entire meat sauce mixture over that, followed by the remaining pasta. Finally, pour the béchamel sauce over the noodles, and spread the mixture evenly. Top with the cheese and the breadcrumbs, if using.
4. Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbly. Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
Greek Meat Sauce Ingredients:
Olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. ground lamb
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
2 cups water
Two shakes of cinnamon
3/4 ground allspice berries
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Greek Meat Sauce Directions:
2. Cook the bucatini until barely al dente in a large pot of lightly salted water. Drain, and then mix well with the beaten egg, butter, and the cheese. Toss until butter has melted.
3. Pour half the pasta mixture into a 3 qt. baking dish. Layer the entire meat sauce mixture over that, followed by the remaining pasta. Finally, pour the béchamel sauce over the noodles, and spread the mixture evenly. Top with the cheese and the breadcrumbs, if using.
4. Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbly. Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
Greek Meat Sauce Ingredients:
Olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. ground lamb
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
2 cups water
Two shakes of cinnamon
3/4 ground allspice berries
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Greek Meat Sauce Directions:
1. In a large heavy bottomed pan, heat your olive oil. Add the onions and saute until tender.
2. Add the beef, cooking until browned. If beef is very fatty, drain off.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for a minute before adding the water, cinnamon, allspice, parsley, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.
4. Simmer, partially covered, for an hour, stirring occasionally (meat sauce should be very thick, but if necessary add a bit of extra water).
Béchamel Sauce Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. butter
2/3 cup flour
1 qt. whole milk at room temperature
3/4 cup Pecorino Romano
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
Béchamel Sauce Directions:
1. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the flour and make a roux, cooking for a few minutes until light golden brown.
2. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture up to just barely a bubble. Continue cooking (and stirring) until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Off the heat, whisk in the cheese, eggs, and egg yolk.
4. Off the heat, whisk in the cheese, eggs, and egg yolk.
No comments:
Post a Comment