Pastitsio Recipe

Pastitsio is one of my new favorite dishes!  I watched Ina Garten make this for a special garden dinner with her husband on the Food Network and I knew I needed try it.  Pastitsio is a Greek baked pasta dish with ground meat topped with a béchamel sauce.  It is amazing!  I will warn you that this dish does take some time to put together and uses LOTS of pots, pans, and bowls, but it is so worth it!

Because Pastitsio takes so much time to make, I have only made it twice for very special birthday celebrations!  This recipe calls for lamb and beef, which is amazing, but if you aren’t a fan of lamb, just substitute with more beef or ground turkey.

Pastitsio Recipe

Recipe from Ina Garten

For the Tomato Meat Sauce:

3 tablespoons good olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound lean ground lamb

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 large cloves)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Bechamel:

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan or Kasseri cheese

2 extra-large eggs, beaten

2/3 cup Greek-style yogurt, such as Fage Total

3/4 pound small shells

For the sauce, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the beef and lamb, and saute over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until it's no longer pink, crumbling it with the back of wooden spoon. Drain off any excess liquid, add the wine, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne, and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the bechamel, heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add the nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Stir in 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomato and meat sauce, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggs and yogurt and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Don't over-cook because the pasta will later be baked. Drain and set aside.

Add the pasta to the meat and tomato sauce, and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spread the bechamel evenly to cover the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly. Set aside for 10 minutes and serve hot.

Basil Pesto with Whole Wheat Pasta Recipe

Bring on the fresh herbs!! They are one of my favorite things about summertime gardens.  Fresh herbs add amazing flavor to a standard dish, and bring it to a whole new level!

I used to think that pesto was difficult to make, but after my first try, my fear dissolved.  With my handy food processor and short list of fresh ingredients, in just a few minutes, you too can have a delicious pesto bursting with sweet basil flavor. 

Basil Pesto with Whole Wheat Pasta Recipe
Serves 6

1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1/3 cup walnut pieces (a generous handful)
2 1/2 cups packed basil leaves
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
Salt & Pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.

In a small skillet, toast the nuts over medium-low heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, about 4 minutes; let cool.

Using a food processor, puree the nuts, basil, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper. With the machine on, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream and mix until a thick paste forms. Transfer the pesto to a large pasta bowl.   Stir in the parmesan and reserved pasta cooking water.

Add the pasta to the pesto, toss and let stand for 1 minute.

Tips:
      1)  Usually people use pine nuts for pesto.  If you want to substitute those for the walnuts, that is fine.  I like to use the walnuts because they are cheaper and prove the same nutty flavor.
      2)  Pesto is very versatile.  You don't have to add this onto pasta.  You can use this pesto sauce on pizza, in a soup, over grilled chicken, or as a dip for bread.

Spaghetti with Ham, Asparagus & Mozzarella Recipe

Now that Easter has come and gone, what are we supposed to do with all of the ham leftovers?  This recipe is a great way to use up all of those ham leftovers in a completely transformed way.  This recipe combination with the salty ham, crispy asparagus and creamy mozzarella tossed with whole wheat spaghetti creates an amazing marriage of flavors and textures. 

Spaghetti with Ham, Asparagus & Mozzarella

Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 6-8

1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound cooked ham, cut 

6 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced (about 1 cup)

In a large pot, bring four quarts of salted water to a boil.  Once the water is to a boil, add the spaghetti to the water and cook until al dente.  

At the same time, in a large frying pan heat up olive oil and add the garlic and cut asparagus.  Keep on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Next, add your cut ham to the asparagus and stir.  At this time add some of the pasta cooking water (about 1/2 cup) to the asparagus and ham mixture to add some moisture. 

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve another 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.  Add the pasta to the asparagus and ham mixture in the frying pan.  Mix well so the pasta is well coated with the garlic olive oil and incorporated with the asparagus and ham.  If this looks a little dry, add some of the reserved cooking water.  Serve the pasta dish topped with the cubed mozzarella.