Nabeel's® Pastitsio Recipe

Nabeel's® Pastitsio Recipe

Pastitsio is one of the most favored as well as delicious

Greek dishes all over Greece. Here at Nabeel's® is also one

of the most favored dishes. The Greek word pastitsio

derives from the Italian pasticcio, ( my wife will love

seeing that we took something from the Italians)

which loosely translates to a mess or a hodgepodge.

Ingredients:

2 lb. minced beef

1 lb. Greek macaroni no. 2 or Bucatini

1 onion diced

½ cup tomato sauce

4 tbsp butter

3 pinches of cinnamon*

3 pinches of nutmeg

1/4 cup red wine

1 cup Kefalotyri* cheese

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For Béchamel:

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tbsp ground cinnamon*

1 stick butter

4 tbsp Semolina flour

½ tbsp nutmeg*

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

To make the meat sauce

Brown the onion in a saucepan with the oil and add the tomato sauce,

the cinnamon, the wine and the beef. Brown the beef.

Season with salt and pepper. Stir well and turn the heat off.

Cook macaroni pasta in boiling salted water until is tender.

Drain and return to pot.

Melt butter in a small pan and pour over pasta.

Add ½ a cup of the cheese, the nutmeg, salt and pepper

to taste and toss well. Leave until cool. Add the eggs and toss again.

Keep aside

To make the béchamel

Melt butter in a sauce pan, stir in the flour and cook gently,

about 3-4 minutes. Add milk and bring to boil by stirring constantly.

Allow sauce to come to bubbles about 1 minute.

Remove from heat and add the cinnamon and nutmeg,

some of the Kefalotyri* cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for about 20 minutes

To make Pastitsio

Grease a pan (13X9X2 inches.) Spoon half of the prepared pasta

evenly in the base of the pan and top with the meet sauce.

Cover with remaining pasta and add the béchamel sauce.

Spread the béchamel sauce evenly on top and sprinkle

with the rest of the cheese

Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes to an hour and until golden brown.

Serves: 6-8

Noon Cooking - September 5, 2012