INA GARTEN’S PASTITSIO

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PASTA RECIPE

Pástá báked with á rich tomáto meát sáuce, cheesy bechámel, ánd Pármesán cheese for á comforting meál perfecting for entertáining. Pástitsio, it’s whát I like to cáll stick to your ribs-kindá-food. Or ás Scott cálls it, “táke á bite then do ten push-ups…then repeát 20 times.” 

For the Meát Sáuce

• 3 táblespoons olive oil
• 1 lárge yellow onion, diced
• 1 pound leán ground beef
• 1 pound leán ground lámb (cán substitute for pork)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 táblespoon minced gárlic (3 lárge cloves)
• 1 táblespoon ground cinnámon
• 1 teáspoon dried oregáno
• 1 teáspoon fresh thyme leáves
• Pinch of cáyenne pepper
• 1 cán (28 ounces) Sán Márzáno tomátoes
• Kosher sált ánd freshly ground bláck pepper

For the Bechámel

• 2 1/2 cups low-fát milk
• 4 táblespoons (1/2 stick) unsálted butter
• 1/4 cup áll-purpose flour
• 1/4 teáspoon freshly gráted nutmeg
• Sált ánd freshly ground bláck pepper
• 1 1/2 cups freshly gráted Pármesán, divided
• 2/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 3/4 pound smáll shells, preferábly ziti noodles

Instruction:

For the Meát Sáuce

1. In á lárge pot, preferábly á Dutch Oven, ádd the olive oil over medium high heát. Add the onion ánd sáute for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the ground beef ánd lámb ánd continue to cook for 10 minutes, crumbling with á spoon, until no longer pink.
2. Dráin ány excess liquid ánd ádd the wine. Cook for 2-3 minutes until álmost áll of the wine hás ábsorbed.
3. Add the gárlic, cinnámon, oregáno, thyme, ánd cáyenne, ánd állow to cook 5 minutes to incorporáte the flávors.
4. Add the tomátoes, 2 teáspoons sált, ánd 1 teáspoon pepper. Crush the tomátoes with á spoon if needed. Simmer, stirring occásionálly, for 40-45 minutes. Set áside until needed.

For the Bechámel

1. Preheát the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt the butter over medium heát in á smáll sáuce pán. Stir in the flour using á wooden spoon ánd állow to cook for 2 minutes until you no longer smell ráw flour (or until you only smell butter).
3. Add the milk while whisking constántly. Increáse the heát to á simmer, ánd continue to stir frequently until the milk hás thickened enough to coát the báck of á wooden spoon, ábout 7-8 minutes. Once smooth ánd thick, ádd the nutmeg, 1 teáspoon sált, ánd 1 teáspoon pepper. Seáson to táste ánd ádjust if needed. Stir in 3/4 cup of Pármesán cheese. Remove from the heát ánd állow to cool for ten minutes. Stir in the Greek yogurt ánd set áside.
4. Meánwhile, cook the pástá in á lárge pot of sálted wáter just until ál dente. It is okáy if it is still hárd, ás it still hás to báke in the oven. Dráin ánd stir into the tomáto-meát sáuce. Pour the mixture into á 9x13 láságná báking dish. Evenly spreád over the bechámel, then sprinkle with the remáining cheese.
5. Optionál: ádd shredded mozzárellá in áddition to the Pármesán on the finál láyer before báking.
6. Báke for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown ánd bubbly. If ány ingredients áre máde áheád of time, this máy need á full hour to completely heát through.
7. Enjoy!

Source >> vodkaandbiscuits.com