Where Italy has lasagna, Greece has pastitio – a similarly-spirited recipe often called “Greek lasagna”, with good reason. The hearty dish is still uniquely Greek with many thinks to the unique usage of lamb and kegalotvri (greek cheese) in the dish.
Ingredients:
4 ounces #2 Greek pastitsio pasta – available Greek and Italian stores
10 ounces grated Greek Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
Olive oil – enough to fry the meat in and a little to stir into the pasta after it’s boiled
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small red onion (about 4 ounces), finely chopped
2 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and ground black pepper
½ pound ground lamb
½ pound lean ground beef, like sirloin
14 ounces whole, Italian canned tomatoes (crushed by hand), with juices
⅛ teaspoon each ground cinnamon, allspice and dried oregano
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preparation:
Heat the oven to 375° F. and arrange a rack in the middle. Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is done, drain and mix in some olive oil. Set aside.
Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden.
Add the meat and break it up with a spoon. Cook a few minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Stir in the tomatoes, spices, oregano and lemon juice, then season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Cook at a lively, bubbling simmer until slightly thickened, then remove from the heat.
Grease a 2½- to 3-quart baking dish with olive oil. Spread half of the pasta evenly in a spidery, twisted mess over the bottom of it, then sprinkle half of the cheese over the top. Add all the meat sauce, the remaining pasta, and the remaining cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until foamy. Slowly pour it over the entire dish (the liquid should almost completely cover the noodles). Cover and bake until bubbly, about 40 to 45 minutes.
Uncover and bake until bubbling and browned, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Goes nicely with a green salad on the side. Recipe freezes well.
