Garten's Baked Pastitsio (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Bechamel
01 -
2/3 cup Greek yogurt
02 -
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan (split into two portions)
03 -
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
04 -
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
05 -
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
06 -
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 -
2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
→ Meat Sauce
08 -
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
09 -
1 can (28 ounces) San Marzano tomatoes crushed by hand
10 -
Pinch of cayenne pepper
11 -
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
12 -
1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 -
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
14 -
1 tablespoon minced garlic (roughly 3 cloves)
15 -
1/2 cup dry red wine
16 -
1 pound lean ground lamb or pork as a swap
17 -
1 pound lean ground beef
18 -
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
19 -
3 tablespoons olive oil
→ Optional Topping
20 -
Shredded mozzarella
→ Pasta
21 -
3/4 pound ziti or small shell pasta
# Instructions:
01 -
Turn on your oven to 350°F (175°C) to preheat. In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat and add the flour. Stir and cook it for a couple of minutes to get rid of that raw taste. Pour in the milk bit by bit, whisking as you go so lumps don't form. Turn up the heat a little and keep stirring as it thickens—should take 7-8 minutes. Sprinkle in nutmeg, along with salt and pepper. Mix in half the Parmesan. Take it off the heat, let it cool for about 10 minutes, then gently stir in the Greek yogurt. Set aside for now.
02 -
Drizzle olive oil into a big pot and heat it on medium-high. Toss in the onions and sauté for five minutes until they begin to soften. Add the beef and lamb, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses its pink color, then get rid of extra liquid. Splash in the red wine and let it cook off, which takes about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne, giving it all a good stir while cooking for another five minutes. Dump in the tomatoes, season with two teaspoons of salt and some black pepper, and let it gently bubble for 40-45 minutes, stirring on and off. Once thick, set aside.
03 -
Cook your pasta of choice in salted, boiling water until just barely tender—it'll cook more later. Drain it and mix it with the meat sauce so everything is evenly coated.
04 -
Grab a 9x13-inch dish. Spread out the pasta and meat sauce mixture until it's nice and even. Take your bechamel and spread it over the top evenly to cover it all. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan and, if you like, mozzarella cheese.
05 -
Bake everything for 45-60 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. If you've prepped anything ahead of time, adjust the baking time as needed.
# Notes:
01 -
You can make both the Meat Sauce and Bechamel the evening before. Assemble and bake fresh the day you plan to serve for the best results.