Greek Beef and Eggplant Pastitsio
Instructions
1 Roast eggplant
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Slice the eggplant into thin disks and place them on a lined baking tray (use two trays, if you're cooking for 3 or 4). Drizzle or brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven for 20-25 min until browned.
2 Fry
Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion and garlic. Heat a pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the beef, onion and a pinch of salt. Break the meat up as you go with a spatula. Fry for 5 min with a pinch of salt. Add the garlic and cook for 2 min further.
3 Fry meat
Add the tomato paste and plum tomatoes along with all their juices, the measured water, thyme, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and black pepper to the pan. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15 min (or longer, time permitting). Finally, remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Check the seasoning.
4 Simmer
Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the butter and flour and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until a sandy paste has formed. Gradually whisk in the milk and simmer for 3-5 min or until the sauce has thickened. Season with a pinch of salt.
5 Bake
Layer the roasted eggplants and the beef sauce in a baking dish. Pour the bechamel over the top. Grate the Parmesan and crumble the feta over the top. Bake in the oven for 15 min or until nicely browned. Wash and dry the spinach.
6 Bake
Let the pastitsio cool for 5 min before slicing it. Serve the washed and dried baby spinach alongside.
Tips for fussy eaters
Reserve some of the meat mix and bechamel sauce and prepare a pasta bake for them. Use penne or fusilli.
Pro tip
Make sure the pan is hot before adding the beef. Otherwise it will stew, not crisp!
When we think Pastitsio, we think Greek lasagna.
Cooking Time: 60 min
Cals 819 · Prot 51 · Carbs 57 · Fat 44
Ingredients
Meat sauce
Bechamel
For topping
When we think Pastitsio, we think Greek lasagna.
Cooking Time: 60 min
Cals 819 · Prot 51 · Carbs 57 · Fat 44
Instructions
1 Roast eggplant
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Slice the eggplant into thin disks and place them on a lined baking tray (use two trays, if you're cooking for 3 or 4). Drizzle or brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven for 20-25 min until browned.
2 Fry
Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion and garlic. Heat a pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the beef, onion and a pinch of salt. Break the meat up as you go with a spatula. Fry for 5 min with a pinch of salt. Add the garlic and cook for 2 min further.
3 Fry meat
Add the tomato paste and plum tomatoes along with all their juices, the measured water, thyme, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and black pepper to the pan. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15 min (or longer, time permitting). Finally, remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Check the seasoning.
4 Simmer
Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the butter and flour and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until a sandy paste has formed. Gradually whisk in the milk and simmer for 3-5 min or until the sauce has thickened. Season with a pinch of salt.
5 Bake
Layer the roasted eggplants and the beef sauce in a baking dish. Pour the bechamel over the top. Grate the Parmesan and crumble the feta over the top. Bake in the oven for 15 min or until nicely browned. Wash and dry the spinach.
6 Bake
Let the pastitsio cool for 5 min before slicing it. Serve the washed and dried baby spinach alongside.
Tips for fussy eaters
Reserve some of the meat mix and bechamel sauce and prepare a pasta bake for them. Use penne or fusilli.
Pro tip
Make sure the pan is hot before adding the beef. Otherwise it will stew, not crisp!
Ingredients
Meat sauce
Bechamel
For topping
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