Pastitsio, a greek classic

This recipe will go well with the following Gingin beef products: Lamb or Beef Mince

Pastitsio

Print Recipe
A healthier and lighter take on a Greek classic Pastitsio. Instead of a rich cheesy sauce, it’s topped with a much lighter blend of yoghurt, tahini and parmesan cheese. Lamb or Beef Mince.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil – extra virgin
  • 1 red onion/s – diced
  • 4 clove/s garlic – diced
  • 600 g lamb or beef mince
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 bay leaf/s
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 60 ml red wine
  • 1 zucchini/s – diced into 1 cm pieces
  • 2 carrot/s – diced into 1 cm pieces
  • 700 g tomato passata (puree)
  • 125 ml chicken stock or bone broth
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – or to taste
  • 30 g baby spinach – chopped (1 cup)
  • 250 g rice quinoa penne pasta (or any pasta that suits)

Topping

  • 1 clove/s garlic
  • 500 g full-fat natural yoghurt – or greek yoghurt (2 cups)
  • 2 tbsp hulled tahini 
  • 1 free-range or organic egg/s
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 25 g parmesan cheese – grated (¼ cup)
  • 2 tbsp pinenuts
  • ¼ bunch/s fresh parsley leaves – approx. 1 handful, finely chopped

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil over a medium heat and add the onion. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the garlic and lamb mince, sauté to brown the mince.
  • Add the cinnamon, mixed spice, bay leaf and oregano and cook for a minute until you smell their fragrance.
  • Turn the heat up to high and add the red wine (it should sizzle and reduce quickly and remove the alcohol).
  • Reduce the heat and add the tomato passata, broth, zucchini, carrots and seasoning.
  • Cover and simmer with the lid ajar for 15-20 minutes.
  • Pre-heat you oven to 180°C/ 350°F fan-forced.
  • While the sauce is simmering, boil the penne.
  • Once it is almost cooked, drain and rinse the pasta and mix in with the sauce and the baby spinach.
  • Place into an oven proof serving dish.
  • In a food processor or by hand, grate cheese and set aside.
  • Then blend the garlic, yoghurt, tahini, sea salt, pepper and egg.
  • Pour this over the sauce/ pasta mix, top with the grated parmesan and pine nuts.
  • Bake for 10-15 mins or until the cheese is melted and the top is browned.

Serve

  • Sprinkle with the chopped parsley leaves and serve with a green, leafy salad.

Thermomix

  • I chop the onion and garlic in the TMX but cook it all in a pan. I find it cooks better that way, not as sloppy as cooking in the TMX. I then use it to grate the cheese and make the topping sauce.

Store

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Recipe and image courtesy of wellnourished.com.au

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