MY BIG FAT GREEK PASTITSIO

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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.

weeb life
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This pastitsio was a disappointment.


Arman Gazi
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I would not recommend this pastitsio to others.


Ahamed Hasan
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This pastitsio was a lot of work for not a lot of payoff.


Abdo Naghoum
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I found this pastitsio to be a bit bland.


Siraji Juma
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This pastitsio is a bit greasy for my taste.


Rashid Ghouri
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This pastitsio is a great make-ahead meal. It's even better the next day.


McDonald Mcdollar
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I'm not a big fan of béchamel sauce, but I loved it in this pastitsio.


Rosa Bruce
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This pastitsio is a great way to use up leftover ground beef.


Gggg Gggg
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I love the way this pastitsio is layered. It makes it so easy to serve.


Tuba Azhar
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This pastitsio is the best I've ever had. The flavors are incredible.


Ashlynne
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This is my go-to recipe for pastitsio. It's always a hit with my guests.


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


Syedabdullah bukhari
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This pastitsio is a bit time-consuming to make, but it's worth the effort. The end result is a delicious and impressive dish.


Sabita kumaru
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I love the combination of flavors in this pastitsio. The béchamel sauce is creamy and rich, and the ground beef and pasta are hearty and flavorful.


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


Ignatik Klokov
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I've made this pastitsio several times now and it's always a crowd-pleaser. It's the perfect comfort food for a cold night.


Adam Wells
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This pastitsio was a hit with my family! The flavors were amazing and it was easy to make. I will definitely be making this again.


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