Pastitsio

My mother-in-law recently shared with me a favorite recipe: Pastitsio. Patti explained that they had first tried the dish at a church fair at a Greek Orthodox Church in Urbana, Illinois in the late 1960s. And, as it happens, the local newspaper published the recipe a week later. Lucky for us that Patti found that recipe and shared it.

Pastitsio is a baked pasta dish. As Patti explained, it is very easy to make, but the downside is that it uses every pan in the kitchen. To me, all that cleanup is worth it for this tasty meal.

This recipe is the standard Greek version of the dish. Other variations might use lamb or veal instead of beef, or, other spices, such as allspice. But, I stuck to Patti's recipe here. You cannot go wrong with this recipe, and do not skip the cinnamon or nutmeg. As Patti says, they make the recipe. Patti also suggested that the dish can be prepared in advanced, and even frozen, just to be defrosted and baked when you are ready to serve it.

Pastitsio 

Meat Filling:
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

 Cream sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 eggs

8 oz. elbow macaroni (about 2 cups raw), cooked according to package directions. Do not overcook. Drain and add 3 oz. grated Romano cheese.

For topping: 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

In a large skillet, brown beef with onion until no longer pink. Drain fat. Add salt, pepper, tomato sauce and cinnamon. Simmer until quite dry. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in flour. Stir in the milk gradually and heat to boiling. Add the seasonings. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Gradually add a bit of the hot cream sauce, then return eggs to to the remaining sauce in the pan, and stir thoroughly. Stir 1/4 of the cream sauce into the macaroni/cheese mixture.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8" square baking pan and spread half of the macaroni mixture into the bottom. Top with all of the meat sauce, then all of the remaining macaroni. Pour the remaining white sauce over all and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. Serves 4 - 6. Enjoy!