Pastitsio Pie

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

61 people added this to their Recipe Box

This recipe makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter 1 1tbsp tbspbutter
1 onion , chopped1 1oniononions, chopped
3 cloves garlic , minced3 3cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 lb lean ground beef 1-1/2 1-1/2lb lblean ground beef
1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 1/2tsp tspdried oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 1/2tsp tspcinnamon
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 1/2tsp tspsalt
1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 1/4tsp tsppepper
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) stewed tomatoes 1 1can (14 oz/398 mL) can (14 oz/398 mL)stewed tomatoes
1 can (5-1/2 oz/156 mL) tomato paste 1 1can (5-1/2 oz/156 mL) can (5-1/2 oz/156 mL)tomato paste
1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 1tbsp tbspred wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 1/4cup cupchopped fresh parsley
2 cups macaroni 2 2cups cupsmacaroni
2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs 2 2tbsp tbspdry breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 1cup cupgrated Parmesan cheese
Sauce:
2 tbsp butter 2 2tbsp tbspbutter
2 tbsp flour 2 2tbsp tbspflour
1 cup milk 1 1cup cupmilk
1 cup cottage cheese 1 1cup cupcottage cheese
1 egg 1 1eggeggs
1 Pinch nutmeg 1 1Pinch Pinchnutmeg
1 Pinch salt 1 1Pinch Pinchsalt
1 Pinch pepper 1 1Pinch Pinchpepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

In nonstick skillet, melt half of the butter over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in beef, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper; cook, stirring for 7 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar; cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm. Drain and refresh under cold water: drain again and set aside.

Sauce: In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour and cook, whisking for 2 minutes, without browning. Gradually whisk in milk and cook, whisking, for about 5 minutes or until thickened; remove from heat. Stir in cottage cheese, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Grease 10 inch (25 cm) deep pie plate with remaining butter; sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spoon in half of the macaroni. Spread meat mixture evenly over top, pressing down lightly; sprinkled with one-third of the Parmesan.

Spoon remaining macaroni over top; carefully pour sauce over macaroni. (Make-ahead: Pie can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes; add 10 minutes to baking time.)

Sprinkled with remaining Parmesan. Bake on baking sheet for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden.