Pastitsio Recipe

By Storie

Pastitsio is a great example of what I look for in a casserole: a hearty meat, a starch and some creaminess. The cinnamon spiced lamb and Parmesan béchamel make this dish extremely satisfying on a rainy day.

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 pound penne, cooked and drained
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 can (3 ounces) tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta, and drain; reserve. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook lamb, breaking apart pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the wine and cook over medium heat until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, cinnamon, and 1 cup of water; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Make Parmesan Cheese Sauce while mixture is simmering: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour until incorporated. In a slow steady stream, whisk in milk until there are no lumps.
Cook, whisking often, until mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in cayenne, if desired, and Parmesan.
Add pasta to lamb mixture; transfer to a baking dish. Pour sauce over the top, smoothing with the back of a spoon until level. Bake until browned in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 15 minutes before serving.

*Note: I was impatient and didn’t bake my casserole, instead I stirred the cheese sauce in with the pasta and topped it with some Italian parsley.