Pastisio with Olive Oil Béchamel

Here’s a Greek dish made with a French sauce, that employs a buttery, creamy olive oil.  OPA!

Needed for this Recipe:

Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co. Mild Intensity Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil such as Arbosana, Arbequina, or Chiquitita

Ingredients:

· 1 pound dry ziti pasta

· 4 tablespoons Mild Intensity Extra Virgin Olive Oil

· 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

· sea salt and pepper to taste

· 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

 

· 2 tablespoons mild EVOO

· 1 large onion, chopped

· 1 clove garlic, crushed

· 1 pound lean ground beef

· ½ pound lean ground lamb

· 1 cup crushed tomatoes

· ½ cup dry red wine

· ½ cup chicken broth

· ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

· 1 teaspoon dried oregano

· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

· sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

 

· ½ cup mild EVOO

· ½ cup all-purpose flour

· 3 cups milk

· ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

· 1 large egg, lightly beaten

· Sea-salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

 Directions:

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

· Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

· Add ziti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

· Drain thoroughly and allow to cool slightly.

· Whisk 4 tablespoons mild EVOO with eggs, Parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt.

· Pour over ziti and set aside.

· To make meat sauce heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.

· Sauté the onions until soft and translucent.

· Increase heat and add ground beef and lamb and cook until the meat browns.

· Add the tomatoes, wine, broth, parsley, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

· Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

 To make the Arbosana béchamel:

· heat the olive oil in saucepan and stir in flour.

· Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.

· Pour in milk all at once and bring to a boil, stirring constantly

·  Boil gently for 1 minute.

· Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and cool slightly before stirring in beaten egg.

· Transfer 1/2 cup of the béchamel to the meat sauce.

To assemble pastitsio:

· grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with one tablespoon Arbosana EVOO.

· Spoon half of the prepared ziti evenly in the bottom and top with meat sauce.

· Top that with remaining ziti. Pour on the remaining béchamel sauce and spread to completely cover ziti.

· Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

· Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

· Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

* Serves 8 *