KitchenMagician's Recipe

PASTITSIO - GRECO

Category: Baked Pasta

Makes 6 servings.

1/2 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked and hot
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Meat Sauce

2 c. stewed plum tomatoes
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. can tomato sauce
1/4 c. chicken stock
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

White Sauce

3 T. butter
3 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 c. milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine pasta, 1 beaten egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan and set aside.
Prepare Meat Sauce. Cook ground beef, onion and garlic together in a skillet until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, vinegar, chili powder, allspice, cinnamon, and salt.
Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until thick.
Prepare White Sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan; stir in flour and pepper. Add the milk all at once.
Cook and stir until smooth, thick and bubbly.
In a bowl, combine about half of the mixture with 1 beaten egg. Return the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining white sauce. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan.
In a 2-qt. baking dish, add 1/2 the pasta mixture. Top with Meat Sauce. Spoon on remaining pasta and top with White Sauce. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, if desired.
Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
The white sauce will firm when cooked.PASTITSIO - GRECO