Saturday 12 September 2015

Pasticcio

This is both a Greek and Italian (and maybe from somewhere else) dish - 
it's easy, delicious and keeps really well (covered) in the fridge.
Just layer the ingredients (as per pic. below)
Quantities are not really crucial, you can make the size according to what you have. 


Ingredients:
cooked Short Macaroni
cooked minced Beef or Lamb filling*
Bechemel Sauce**

Method:
In a buttered oven-proof dish ...... layer the Macaroni, meat filling and another layer of Macaroni on top. 
Pour lots of creamy Bechemel over it, a little grated cheese on top and bake until bubbly and just going golden.
That's about all there is to it.

*Filling:
1 onion, peeled and chopped - saute in a little oil until just becoming transparent,
Add the minced meat, some crushed garlic - to taste, seasoning,
and saute until the meat is nicely browned.
Add some skinned, chopped tomatoes and cook a little longer.  Stir together.
Taste for seasoning.
(Add any other ingredient herb/chopped veg. that's to your taste.)

**Basic Bechemel Sauce : (can make in micro)
You need lots of this, so increase the ingredients according to what you need.
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg


If making this in the micro. mix the flour with some of the milk just to break up the flour a little - then add the rest of the ingredients and stir frequently between cooking, until sauce begins to thicken.  You can then add grated cheese if you want, or just use the sauce, well seasoned.

I've kept the Pasticcio for a week in the fridge, and just either reheated some in the oven, or zapped it in the micro.  I feel it's better reheated in the oven, but is ok done in the micro.

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