Pastitsio
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1kg lean minced beef
1 cup (250ml) red wine
¼ cup tomato paste
1 x 420g can chopped tomatoes
½ cup (125ml) water
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
2 tablespoons, chopped fresh oregano
2 fresh bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pasta
500g rigatoni (or any other large tubular pasta)
2 eggs, beaten
100g Greek kefalotiri cheese, grated
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
White sauce
100g butter
100g plain flour
4 cups (1litre) milk
½ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
METHOD
Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat and add onion, garlic and celery. Cook until onions and celery have softened. Stir in the mince, a little at a time, making sure to break up the large lumps of mince until brown and crumbly.
Add wine and boil for 2-3 minutes, then stir in tomato paste, tomatoes, water and all the spices and herbs. Season with salt and pepper and simmer 30-40 minutes or until sauce has thickened and meat is tender. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to packet instruction until just al dente. Don’t over cook the pasta at this stage as the pasta will undergo further cooking in the oven and will become mushy; Drain well and set aside also.
To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in flour. Cook stirring continuously for approximately one minute and add one third of the milk. Whisk or beat until smooth. Repeat with remaining milk and simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce is thick and smooth. Season with grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Preheat oven 180°C/ 160°C (fan-forced). Stir one cup of the white sauce through the cooked warm pasta, along with the beaten eggs. Spoon one third of the pasta into the base of a large deep rectangular lasagne dish. Top with half of the meat sauce, followed by another third the pasta.
Spoon remaining meat sauce over pasta and cover with a final layer of pasta.
Spread remaining white sauce over the top of the pasta and sprinkle with combined cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cut into large squares and serve with crusty bread and mixed green salad.
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