MY BIG FAT GREEK PASTITSIO

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image



My Big Fat Greek Pastitsio image

This is real comfort food! I love this meaty, rich casserole. I must warn you - you will probably end up with very messy kitchen after making this, but it is worth it. Named in honor of the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" which celebrates Greek culture. I have been making this homestyle Greek recipe for many years, but it originally came from one of my favorite military community cookbooks, "Enough to Feed an Army." Prep time allows for cooking the macaroni and chopping the onions & garlic.

Provided by HeatherFeather

Categories     Lamb/Sheep

Time 1h40m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked & drained according to package directions
1 lb lean ground beef or 1 lb ground lamb (or combo)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons sweet unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
2 medium onions, chopped
2 (8 ounce) cans unseasoned tomato sauce
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 1/4 cups milk
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
ground nutmeg, to taste

Steps:

  • In a nonstick skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, saute the onion over medium-high heat until translucent, 2-3 minutes or so.
  • Add meat to the pan and cook over medium heat until browned all the way through; drain fat.
  • Add tomato sauce, garlic,just 1 tsp of the cinnamon, and some salt to taste.
  • Simmer on low heat 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
  • Once the butter has melted, stir in the flour, whisking until blended.
  • Remove pan from heat and whisk in the milk slowly until blended.
  • Return pan to heat and let simmer over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring often,or until thick and smooth.
  • Remove sauce from heat and let cool slightly.
  • In a bowl, beat eggs and then add small portion of the cream sauce, whisking quickly as you do.
  • Whisk in a bit more of the sauce, then add all the rest and whisk well until smooth.
  • (You can to be careful not to add too much at first or you will cook the eggs.) Season sauce with some salt& pepper and a dash of nutmeg to taste, mixing well.
  • Grease a 9x13" casserole with deep sides well and place hot macaroni in it.
  • Top with meat sauce, then sprinkle meat sauce with remaining 1 tsp cinnamon.
  • Pour cream sauce over all to cover.
  • You may need to shake the pan a little to make everything settle in (not too hard- you don't want sauce flying everywhere).
  • You may have a little extra cream sauce left over, depending on how deep your pan is.
  • Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for approximately 40 minutes or until custard is firm (no jiggling).
  • Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Spirduke gaming
[email protected]

I'm saving this pastitsio recipe for later.


Azhr Seyal
[email protected]

This pastitsio recipe is on my to-cook list.


Venuela Borisova
[email protected]

I'm going to have to give this pastitsio recipe a try.


Seele Expansion
[email protected]

This pastitsio recipe looks amazing.


Heera Sen
[email protected]

I can't wait to try this pastitsio recipe.


Nico olivares
[email protected]

This pastitsio is a keeper.


Rodney Friedman
[email protected]

I'm so glad I found this pastitsio recipe.


nantale Rose
[email protected]

This pastitsio is so creamy and delicious.


Thabang Mokwena
[email protected]

I love the combination of flavors in this pastitsio.


Siyasanga Mdlulwa
[email protected]

This pastitsio is the perfect comfort food.


Queen Mo
[email protected]

I'm definitely going to be making this pastitsio again.


BRIBAI ANITA
[email protected]

This pastitsio is a must-try for any fan of Greek food.


Omar Ahmad
[email protected]

I'm not a big fan of pastitsio, but this recipe changed my mind. It was so good!


misty gibbs
[email protected]

This is the best pastitsio recipe I've ever tried.


Inoka Sudharshani
[email protected]

I made this pastitsio for a potluck, and it was a huge success. Everyone loved it!


md shuvo
[email protected]

The béchamel sauce was a little tricky to make, but it was worth the effort. It's so creamy and delicious.


Adinya Owakele
[email protected]

I love that this recipe uses ground beef and sausage. It gives the pastitsio a really hearty and flavorful filling.


Natty Awesome
[email protected]

This was my first time making pastitsio, and it turned out great! The instructions were easy to follow, and the dish was absolutely delicious.


BMPawnz
[email protected]

I've made this pastitsio recipe several times now, and it's always a crowd-pleaser. The béchamel sauce is so rich and creamy, and the combination of flavors is just perfect.


Papi Dorcas
[email protected]

This pastitsio recipe was a huge hit with my family! The flavors were incredible, and the dish was so creamy and satisfying. I will definitely be making this again.


Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »

    #weeknight     #time-to-make     #course     #main-ingredient     #cuisine     #preparation     #occasion     #casseroles     #main-dish     #beef     #lamb-sheep     #greek     #oven     #european     #potluck     #dietary     #comfort-food     #ground-beef     #meat     #taste-mood     #to-go     #equipment     #4-hours-or-less