Pastitsio with Leftover Mince
A Greek pasta bake made with layers of tubular pasta topped with mince and béchamel, with the flavours of moussaka but using long tubes of macaroni type pasta, instead of the aubergine or potato.
This recipe is prepared with:
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
150 g onions, diced
50 g carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
0.5 tsp dried oregano
0.25 tsp ground allspice
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
300-500 g beef mince, cooked
400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
salt, as needed
black pepper, as needed
water, as needed
450 g tubular pasta, cooked, drained
900 g béchamel sauce
200 g mozzarella, grated
salad, to serve
Instructions
STEP 1/3
Fit the Stir Tool.
Add oil into the Appliance bowl.
Heat until hot for 2 minutes at 120ºC, speed off.
Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic.
Heat until softened for 5 minutes at 120ºC, speed Stir 1.
Add tomato paste, oregano, allspice and cinnamon.
Cook until combined for 5 minutes at 120ºC, speed Stir 2.
Add beef mince, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Cook until hot for 10 minutes at 105ºC, speed Stir 2.
Cook until cooked through for 5 minutes at 100ºC, speed Stir 2.
STEP 2/3
Add water into a large saucepan.
Heat until boiling on a high heat.
Then add pasta.
Cook until al dente for 4 minutes, high heat.
Drain the pasta immediately.
Tip: The pasta will continue to cook in the oven once the dish is assembled.
STEP 3/3
Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
Arrange the strands of al dente pasta in two layers in a baking dish.
Tip: Or use a deep casserole dish, at least 7 cm (2.75”) deep.
Spoon over the mince mixture.
Pour the béchamel sauce over the top and level with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle with grated mozzarella.
Bake until the top is golden brown for 35-40 minutes at 190ºC.
To serve
Serve with fresh salad
Substitutions
Olive oil can be replaced with vegetable oil.
Dried oregano can be replaced with 1 sprig fresh, finely chopped oregano.
Beef mince can be replaced with lamb mince or a combination of both.
Tubular pasta can be replaced with macaroni pasta, penne or bucatini no. 2 pasta.
Mozzarella can be replaced with Parmesan cheese, Kefalotyri, Romano or Graviera cheese.
The Greek tubular pasta has a large straw-like appearance with a wide hole running through the middle, you can substitute this with macaroni, penne, or ziti. The ground cinnamon and allspice give the leftover mince the unique flavour, so it is worth adding them if you can. If you have fresh parsley or bay leaves, perhaps even a dash of leftover red wine, then add these also. Nutmeg is also a delicious addition to the béchamel if you have it.
Pastitsio with Leftover Mince
A Greek pasta bake made with layers of tubular pasta topped with mince and béchamel, with the flavours of moussaka but using long tubes of macaroni type pasta, instead of the aubergine or potato.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
150 g onions, diced
50 g carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
0.5 tsp dried oregano
0.25 tsp ground allspice
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
300-500 g beef mince, cooked
400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
salt, as needed
black pepper, as needed
water, as needed
450 g tubular pasta, cooked, drained
900 g béchamel sauce
200 g mozzarella, grated
salad, to serve
Instructions
STEP 1/3
Fit the Stir Tool.
Add oil into the Appliance bowl.
Heat until hot for 2 minutes at 120ºC, speed off.
Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic.
Heat until softened for 5 minutes at 120ºC, speed Stir 1.
Add tomato paste, oregano, allspice and cinnamon.
Cook until combined for 5 minutes at 120ºC, speed Stir 2.
Add beef mince, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Cook until hot for 10 minutes at 105ºC, speed Stir 2.
Cook until cooked through for 5 minutes at 100ºC, speed Stir 2.
STEP 2/3
Add water into a large saucepan.
Heat until boiling on a high heat.
Then add pasta.
Cook until al dente for 4 minutes, high heat.
Drain the pasta immediately.
Tip: The pasta will continue to cook in the oven once the dish is assembled.
STEP 3/3
Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
Arrange the strands of al dente pasta in two layers in a baking dish.
Tip: Or use a deep casserole dish, at least 7 cm (2.75”) deep.
Spoon over the mince mixture.
Pour the béchamel sauce over the top and level with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle with grated mozzarella.
Bake until the top is golden brown for 35-40 minutes at 190ºC.
To serve
Serve with fresh salad
Substitutions
Olive oil can be replaced with vegetable oil.
Dried oregano can be replaced with 1 sprig fresh, finely chopped oregano.
Beef mince can be replaced with lamb mince or a combination of both.
Tubular pasta can be replaced with macaroni pasta, penne or bucatini no. 2 pasta.
Mozzarella can be replaced with Parmesan cheese, Kefalotyri, Romano or Graviera cheese.