Pastitsio (macaroni mince casserole)

Name: Pastitsio (macaroni mince casserole)
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 medium-sized onions; 1 can(s) (850 ml) peeled tomatoes; 1 collar Parsley; 6 TABLESPOONS Olive oil; 1 kg Minced meat (beef or lamb); 2 TABLESPOONS Tomato paste; 7-10 Tbsp Salt; 7-10 Tbsp Pepper; 500 g Macaroni; 110 g Butter or margarine; 150 g grated Kefalotiri, Kaséri or Graviéra (alternatively Parmesan cheese); 60 g Flour; 900 ml Milk; 7-10 Tbsp grated nutmeg; 4 Eggs (size M); 7-10 Tbsp Fat and breadcrumbs

AUTHOR
Andrew Gay

DIFFICULTY
easy

RATING

COOK TIME
105 mins

TOTAL TIME
105 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6

2 medium-sized onions
1 can(s) (850 ml) peeled tomatoes
1 collar Parsley
6 TABLESPOONS Olive oil
1 kg Minced meat (beef or lamb)
2 TABLESPOONS Tomato paste
7-10 Tbsp Salt
7-10 Tbsp Pepper
500 g Macaroni
110 g Butter or margarine
150 g grated Kefalotiri, Kaséri or Graviéra (alternatively Parmesan cheese)
60 g Flour
900 ml Milk
7-10 Tbsp grated nutmeg
4 Eggs (size M)
7-10 Tbsp Fat and breadcrumbs

Directions

1
Peel and chop the onions. Put the tomatoes on a sieve and collect the juice. Dice the tomatoes. Wash parsley, dab dry and chop the leaves, except for something to garnish. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions.
2
Add minced meat and stir-fry vigorously. Add tomato paste and tomato cubes with the liquid, stir in and season with salt and pepper. Add parsley, bring to the boil and simmer covered for about 20 minutes.
3
Then remove from the heat and let it cool down. In the meantime, put the macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water and cook for about 10 minutes until it is bubbling. Pour onto a sieve, rinse under cold water and drain.
4
Melt 50 g of fat and mix into the pasta together with 90 g of cheese. For the béchamel sauce, melt 60 g of fat in a saucepan. Sweat the flour in it while stirring and gradually stir in the milk over a low heat.
5
Bring the sauce to the boil and simmer at medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir from time to time. Season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove the pot from the stove. Whisk 3 eggs with 50 ml cold water and stir into the sauce.
6
Whisk the rest of the egg, stir in 30 g of cheese and stir the mixture into the lukewarm mince sauce. Grease a large casserole dish well and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Put half of the macaroni into the dish and spread the minced meat sauce on top.
7
Cover with the remaining macaroni and spread the béchamel sauce on top. Sprinkle 30 g of cheese over it. Bake in the preheated oven (electric cooker: 200 °C/ convection oven: 175 °C/ gas: level 3) for about 40 minutes.
8
Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and garnished.