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Pastitsio
Greek Version of Lasagna
Just in time for Mother's Day, the following recipe comes from Litza Hadgimallis. We enjoy pastitsio at Lancer's diner, the Hadgimallis family's restaurant in Horsham, Pa. Lancers is otherwise known as "The Club," which is our daughter's loving name for our favorite gathering spot, where everyone knows what we eat and drink and the way we like our eggs.

Prepare the pasta

Assemble the following ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ziti
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • ¾ c. grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ tsp. nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat the oven to 350°. Cook ziti in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain and return to pan. Melt butter until golden brown and pour over ziti. Add ½ cup of the cheese (reserving the rest for the final step), the nutmeg and the salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Leave until cool, add eggs and toss again. Set aside.

Make the meat sauce

In a large pan, combine

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
and gently fry the onion and garlic in butter until soft. Then increase heat and add
  • 1½ lbs. ground beef
Gently fry the ground beef. Stir well and cook until meat begins to brown. Add the remaining meat sauce ingredients:
  • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • ½ c. red or white wine
  • ½ c. beef broth
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • 1½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper
cover the pan and simmer the mixture over gentle heat for 20 minutes.

Make the cream sauce

In a saucepan, melt

  • 1/3 c. butter
then stir in
  • ½ c. flour
and cook gently for 2 minutes. Then add
  • 3 c. milk
all at once and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil gently for one minute. Then, one at a time, add
  • ¼ tsp. nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and cool a little before stirring in the beaten egg. Add ½ cup of this sauce to the cooked meat sauce.

Assemble the pastitsio

Butter a 13"x9"x3" baking oven dish. Spoon ½ of the prepared ziti evenly in the base and top with the meat sauce. cover with the remaining ziti, leveling the top. Pour on the cream sauce and spread to completely cover the ziti. Sprinkle the reserved ¼ cup of cheese on top and bake in the preheated 350° oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting it into squares.

Serves 12 as a first course, 6-8 as a main dish.

Notes:
Lancers is located at 858 Easton Road, Horsham, Pa., across from the Willow Grove Air Base on 611. Phone: 215-674-508, Fax: 215-674-5040.

A Cookie Lady Recipe

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