Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

Ingredients:

For the Pastitsio itself:

2 lb. tubular pasta (long macaroni, ziti, penne, I use spaghetti etc.)

1 lb. of ground meat
2 chopped medium onions
2 TBL. Minced Garlic
1 can of Italian Stewed tomatoes finely chopped
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil divided into two cups (1 cup for meat and 1 cup for pasta)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. Thyme
1 ½ tsp of basil
½ C. Sauvignon Blanc Wine
1/2 lb. of grated Parmesan
¼ c. Feta
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Greek-style béchamel, or white sauce:

1 cup of flour

½ Cup butter (1 stick)
4 cups milk
4 beaten eggs
1/2 lb. grated Parmesan
½ c. Feta
Salt and some pepper
½ tsp. grated nutmeg

Instructions
1. In a sauce pan pour a cup olive oil and cook the onion bits until slightly browned. Then add the Garlic and saute until mixed well within the onion.Mix in the ground meat, mixing for a few minutes and breaking all the meat lumps, then mix in the Italian Stewed tomatoes chopped up, the salt and pepper, the bay leaves, the basil, the thyme, and the Sauvignon Blanc Wine. Mix all ingredients together in the sauce pan with the meat and onions. Then add the nutmeg and Cinnamon and mix together as well. Allow to simmer stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes on low-medium.

2. In another pan bring approx. 6 cups of water to boil and cook the pasta to very 'al dente' stage, following package instructions but shy of a few minutes of time. Drain water and mix in the remaining 1 cup of olive oil into the pasta mix well and set aside until ready to assemble lasagna.

3. Prepare the white sauce: In a saucepan met ½ cup of buttter (1 stick) and pour in the flour stirring constantly in the same direction with a spatula to avoid creating any lumps. Add the Nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the flour and butter mixture. Gradually add the milk to the sauce while stirring with a whisk as you pour it in. Remove the sauce pan from the stove and mix in the beaten eggs, and the parmesan cheese and feta while, once again, stirring constantly.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. In a lasagna pan (9x13) laddle one laddle full of the sauce onto the bottom of the pan place half the pasta, sprinkle them with some grated cheese and cover them with the meat mixture. Then add the other half of the pasta and sprinkle grated cheese again and top with meat mixture. Finally pour all your white sauce in the pan. Sprinkle some grated cheese on the top and remaining feta.

5. Bake in oven at 375º for 45minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven cover with foil and allow it to set for 15 minutes before serving.