Tantalize your taste buds with an extraordinary culinary journey as we present a collection of delectable pastitsio recipes that showcase the harmonious blend of juicy lamb and tender eggplant. Embark on a voyage of flavors with our traditional Greek pastitsio, where layers of rich lamb ragu, silky béchamel sauce, and succulent eggplant slices come together in perfect symphony. Discover the delightful vegetarian pastitsio, a meatless marvel that captures the essence of the classic dish with hearty lentils and mushrooms taking center stage. For a modern twist, explore our innovative pastitsio with spinach and feta, where vibrant greens and tangy cheese elevate this beloved casserole to new heights. Prepare to be captivated by our pastitsio with crispy potatoes, a delightful variation that adds a golden crunch to each savory bite. Each recipe promises a unique symphony of textures and flavors, guaranteeing an unforgettable dining experience.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
LAMB & AUBERGINE PASTITSIO
This cheesy, Greek inspired one-pot stretches out lamb mince with lots of veggies and filling pasta - perfect for cooking on a budget
Provided by Good Food team
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 2h10m
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and cook until softened, then add the garlic and stir around the pan for 1 min more. Scoop the onions to one side of the pan, add the lamb and cook until browned. Pour off any excess oil from the pan.
- Add the spices and oregano, then tip in the aubergine. Fry for another 5 mins until the aubergine has softened a little, then crumble in the stock cube and add the tomatoes, along with half a can of water. Season, cover the pan and simmer for 30 mins.
- Uncover the lamb mince and continue to simmer until the sauce is thick and clinging to the meat - about 15 mins. Meanwhile, make the béchamel sauce. Warm the milk in a large pan with the bay leaves. Melt the butter in another large pan, stir in the flour to make a paste, then add the warm milk, ladle by ladle, stirring well between each addition, until you have a thick, smooth sauce. Season well and add the Parmesan. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain.
- Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the mince into a large baking dish. Mix the macaroni into the cheesy sauce and pour this over the lamb. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Can now be frozen, defrost before cooking. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown and crispy on top. Leave to cool for 5 mins before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 750 calories, Fat 31 grams fat, SaturatedFat 16 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 77 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 17 grams sugar, Fiber 9 grams fiber, Protein 36 grams protein, Sodium 1.4 milligram of sodium
LAMB AND EGGPLANT PASTITSIO
Steps:
- Make lamb sauce:
- Cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add lamb and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, and pepper and sauté, stirring, 2 minutes.
- Stir in eggplant and tomatoes and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is just tender, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Make cheese sauce and cook pasta while lamb sauce is simmering:
- Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and add garlic clove and whole clove, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Add feta, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking vigorously, until cheese is well incorporated.
- Beat eggs in a large bowl and gradually add sauce to eggs, whisking.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, then drain in a colander. Toss half of pasta with lamb sauce and half with cheese sauce.
- Assemble pastitsio:
- Pour pasta with lamb sauce into a wide shallow 3-quart baking dish, spreading evenly. Spoon pasta with cheese sauce on top, spreading evenly.
- Bake pastitsio, uncovered, in middle of oven until bubbling and top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
LAMB AND EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PASTITSIO
Make and share this Lamb and Eggplant (Aubergine) Pastitsio recipe from Food.com.
Provided by MsKittyKat
Categories Lamb/Sheep
Time 2h35m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Make lamb sauce: Cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add lamb and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, and pepper and sauté, stirring, 2 minutes.
- Stir in eggplant and tomatoes and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is just tender, about 40 minutes.
- Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes more.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Sauce can be prepared one day ahead if desired.
- Preheat oven to 425°F Make cheese sauce and cook pasta while lamb sauce is simmering:.
- Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
- Whisk in milk and add garlic clove and whole clove, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes.
- Add feta, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking vigorously, until cheese is well incorporated.
- Beat eggs in a large bowl and gradually add sauce to eggs, whisking.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, then drain in a colander.
- Toss half of pasta with lamb sauce and half with cheese sauce.
- Assemble pastitsio: Pour pasta with lamb sauce into a wide shallow 3-quart baking dish, spreading evenly.
- Spoon pasta with cheese sauce on top, spreading evenly.
- Bake pastitsio, uncovered, in middle of oven until bubbling and top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
SPICED LAMB-STUFFED EGGPLANTS
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, including the stems. Using a sharp paring knife, scoop out some of the flesh, leaving a shell that is 1/3 inch thick and reserving the scooped-out eggplant. Place the eggplant shells snugly in a single layer in a large (10-by-14-inch) rectangular baking dish. Brush the eggplant all over with 1/4 cup olive oil (use it all!) and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour 1/4 cup water in the baking dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes, until the shells are tender when pierced with a small knife. Remove from the oven, discard the foil, and leave the oven on.
- Meanwhile, for the lamb filling, in a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until tender. Cut the reserved scooped-out eggplant into 1/2-inch dice (you should have about 2 cups). Add the eggplant to the onion and cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if it seems dry. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the ground lamb and cook, mashing lightly with a fork, for 5 to 7 minutes, until no longer pink. Add the oregano and cinnamon and cook for one minute. Add the wine, tomatoes, marinara, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Spoon the filling into the eggplant halves in the baking dish. (You may have a little extra filling.)
- In a medium bowl, mash the ricotta, goat cheese, egg yolks, mint, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper with a fork. With a spoon, place large dollops of the ricotta mixture on the lamb filling and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling is hot and the topping is lightly browned. Serve warm, sprinkled with extra mint.
MAMA'S OH-SO-SAVORY LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE
The basis of this recipe came from my 4th grade teacher's mother who was Armenian, and I've been making it for over 50 years. It is easy to put together, but the longer the stovetop step simmers, the better the casserole will be when served. Leftovers are yummy! You could serve this over rice, if you like, with a green salad. I just serve it in pasta bowls with crusty bread, butter, and a nice glass of red wine. Enjoy!
Provided by MAMA2EANDJ
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Ground
Time 2h35m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
- Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
- Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
- Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 384.6 calories, Carbohydrate 22.6 g, Cholesterol 77.2 mg, Fat 23.2 g, Fiber 8.4 g, Protein 24 g, SaturatedFat 7.5 g, Sodium 1471.2 mg, Sugar 12.2 g
Tips for the Perfect Lamb and Eggplant Pastitsio:
- Use high-quality ingredients. This means using fresh, flavorful lamb and eggplant, as well as a good quality pasta sauce.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. When browning the lamb and eggplant, make sure to do it in batches so that the food has room to brown properly.
- Cook the pasta al dente. This means cooking it until it is still slightly firm to the bite.
- Layer the pastitsio carefully. Make sure that the layers are even and that the pasta is completely covered by the sauce.
- Bake the pastitsio until golden brown. This will ensure that the pastitsio is cooked through and that the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Conclusion:
Lamb and eggplant pastitsio is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for a special occasion. By following these tips, you can make sure that your pastitsio turns out perfectly every time. Serve it with a side of salad or vegetables for a complete meal.
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