Recipe: Pastitsio (Classic Baked Pasta Casserole) and Moussaka - Debra - How about

Pastitsio (Classic Baked Pasta Casserole) or Moussaka (Baked Eggplant with Ground Meat and Bechamel)?

Hi Debra:-) I have made Pastitsio before but not this recipe. I have long since lost the one I made. This recipe is from the cookbook, The Food and Wine of Greece by Diane Kochilas. "It's name is unquestionably Italian in origin, but the practice of baking pasta with meats reflects a Near Eastern influence. With moussaka, a similar dish but made with eggplant, pastitsio is probably the best known Greek food."

Pastitsio

1/4 c. olive oil
3 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. ground lean beef (Many pastitsio recipes call for ground lamb. You can use either or a combination of the two ground meats.)
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 c. peeled and chopped plum tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
6 to 8 whole cloves
1 1/2 tsp. allspice
15 to 20 crushed black peppercorns
Salt, to taste
2 to 3 eggs, slightly beaten (optional)
1 1/2 lbs. spaghetti (I think that the time I made it, the recipe called for elbow macaroni which seems like it would be easier to serve.)
Grated kefalotyri cheese or Parmesan cheese
6 to 8 c. medium bechamel sauce (Recipe follows)

In a large skillet heat 2 Tbl. of the olive oil. Add onion and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add neat and continue stirring until meat begins to brown. (At this point, drain the fat off the meat if there is accumulated fat. Add garlic, tomatoes,, spices, peppercorns, and salt. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Lower heat and simmered, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and meat is cooked (add wtaer if necessary). Remove pan from heat, let meat cool slightly, then add beaten eggs (optional).
While meat is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until almost done. Remove and drain. toss with 1 to 2 Tbl. and olive oil and grated cheese in a large bowl to keep it from sticking.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With remaining olive oil, lightly grease an 11 X 15 X 3 inch baking pan.
Make bechamel, adding 3 well beaten egg yolks, allspice, nutmeg and kefalotyri to sauce, beating vigorously with a wire whisk.
Spread half the spaghetti (macaroni) evenly across the bottom of baking pan. Pour in meat sauce, spreading evenly over pasta. Sprinkle with 1 to 2 Tbl. grated cheese. Add remaining pasta. Pour bechamel sauce over pasta, making sure it is spread evenly over top of pan. Sprinkle with 2 Tbl. grated cheese. Bake for about 45 minutes, until bechamel thickens and swells and a golden brown crust forms on top. Serve hot with a green salad.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Bechamel (medium thick)

2 Tbl. butter
2 Tbl. all-purpose flour
1 c. milk at room temperature or slightly warmed
Salt (usually about 1/2 tsp.) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Grating of nutmeg
1 to 3 egg yolks (optional)

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat; do not brown. Add flour, off the ehat and stir to blend with a whisk. Return to the heat and cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until flour no longer tastes raw. Slowly add milk over low heat abd stir continously, until sauce is creamy, still liquid, but quite thick. (This will take 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the strength of the heat.) Remove from the heat and stir in salt, papper, and nutmeg. Cool slightly before beating in the egg yolks.
Yield: 1 cup

Note: When inreasing the amount of the recipe, increase all ingredients proportionately, except for the eggs. One to three yolks - as desired - are the standard number. Egg yolks are generally included for baked diahes such as pastitsio and moussaka.

Moussaka

6 to 7 lbs. large eggplant, sliced lenghtwise
Salt
Olive oil
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs(optional)
4 to 6 c. bechamel sauce (above)
1 c. grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese

Meat Sauce:

4 to 5 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 lbs. lean chopped meat (beef or lamb)
3 c. peeled and chopped plum tomatoes, with juice
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
7 to 8 whole cloves
1 small cinnamon stick, or 1/2 tsp. ground
2 small bay leaves
Pinch all spice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tbl. tomato paste
1/2 c. dry red wine

To prepare eggplant: In maikng moussaka, the eggplants are traditionally fried to soften them. There has been a move away from such heavy cooking in Greece of late, but should you want to fry them first: Wash eggplants and trim stems and tips. Cut lengthwise into large oval slices, about 1/3 inch wide. Place in a large bowl and douse with ample salt. Allow to rest in salt for 45 minutes. Rinse slices very well, drain thoroughly and pat dry. In a lergae skillet, heat 2 tsp. to 1 Tbl. olive oil for every 2 slices of eggplant. Saute slices lightly and drain on paper towels.
Or brush salted, rinsed eggplant slices on both sides with oil and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Broil until golden brown and soft.
To prepare the meat sauce: In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 Tbl. olive oil and saute onions until translucent. Add chopped meat and brown lightly. Add tomatoes, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, allspice, salt pepper and a little water, if necessary. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, adding more water if necessary. About 5 minutes before turning off the heat, add tomato paste and wine. Keep cover off and simmer until all liquid has been absorbed. Remove skillet from heat and cool slightly.
While sauce is simmering, make bechamel. Cover and have ready to use.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. :ightly oil an 11 X 15 X 3 inch baking pan or pyrex dish large enough to hold moussaka. (You may want to lower oven temperature to 325 degrees F if you use a glass dish.)
Sprinkle bread crumbs (optional) on bottom of baking pan. Place a layer of eggplant slices over bread crumbs. Spread meat mixture evenly over eggplant and cover with another layer of eggplant. Gently pour bechamel over top layer. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until bechamel is thick and golden brown on top. Serve warm.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Moussaka with Zucchini and Potatoes:
Cut 2 to 2 1/2 pounds medium-to-large zucchini lenghtwise into 1/8 inch thick slices. Peel 2 pounds large oval potatoes and slice into 1/8 inch thick slices. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 Tbl. olive oil and saute vegetables, a few slices at a time, until softened and lightly browned. Add more oil as needed. Remove and drain on paper towels. assemble and cook as for moussaka, using zucchini and potatoes in place of eggplant.

Moussaka with Artichoke hearts:
Wash 18 to 20 whole large artichoke hearts well and submerge in lemon juice and water to keep from turning brown. (Four or five, 9 oz. packages of frozen artichoke, cut hearts may be used instead; follow package directions for defrosting.) Bring enough water to cover the artichokes to a rolling boil and parboil the hearts to soften slightly. Remove and drain. Cool slightly and cut in half if desired. Layer them as you would the eggplants. (You may want to gently squeeze frozen hearts to get excess moisture out of them before using in the recipe.)