Pastitsio
Pastitsio
Cypriot baked pasta, makaronia tou fournou, 40 min bake at 160°C, serves 8
Ingredients
Meat sauce pork mince 300g beef mince 300g onion 1, finely diced garlic 2 cloves, crushed ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cloves pinch ground nutmeg pinch dried mint 1 tsp passata 185g red wine 100ml olive oil 30g salt and pepper to season Pasta ziti lunghi 500g Halloumi bechamel full fat milk 1 litre butter 150g plain flour 150g halloumi 110g, grated cheddar 60g, grated parmesan 25g, grated ground nutmeg pinch salt and pepper to season
Cypriot pastitsio uses pork, or a pork and beef mix, and halloumi in the bechamel where the Greek version uses kefalograviera.
Ziti lunghi are the long tubes this is made for. Penne rigate works at a push.
Recipe
1. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Soften the onion for 8 minutes, then the garlic for 1 minute:
[olive oil 30g, onion 1 finely diced, garlic 2 cloves crushed]
2. Add both minces, break up the clumps, and brown all over, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it reduce for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add and simmer on low for 20 to 25 minutes, until thick and most of the liquid is gone. Season and set aside:
[ground cinnamon 1 tsp, ground cloves pinch, ground nutmeg pinch, dried mint 1 tsp, passata 185g]
4. Cook the pasta in well salted water 1 to 2 minutes under the packet time. It finishes in the oven. Drain and set aside.
5. Make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until it smells biscuity.
Stand mixer: make it in the bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk attachment, milk drizzled in.
6. Add the milk 200ml at a time, whisking between each. Keep over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon. Off the heat.
7. Whisk in the cheeses and nutmeg:
[halloumi 110g grated, cheddar 60g grated, parmesan 25g grated, ground nutmeg pinch, salt and pepper to season]
The halloumi is salty, so taste before adding more salt.
8. Heat the oven to 160°C. Grease a deep baking dish, about 32x22cm.
9. Lay the pasta in the dish, all the tubes facing the same way so it slices cleanly. Meat sauce over and level it, then the bechamel over that, levelled into a thick even layer.
10. Scatter a little grated halloumi on top. Bake 40 minutes until bubbling and deep golden.
11. Rest at least 15 minutes before cutting, it sets as it cools.
Sources: SBS Food, Rosanna Etc, Afrodite’s Kitchen.