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The Cretan cuisine: pastitsio (παστίτσιο) 

 There is a dish that can be found in all the taverns on the island of Crete that already from the name reveals the kinship with the many St. Mark's lions scattered around the island: the pasticcio.
A plate of pasta (usually the ziti) rich and tasty baked which, although it recalls Italian cuisine in appearance, has an aroma and scent that only speaks of Greece.

What I present here is my version, rebuilt in the home kitchen after multiple tastings on the spot; and after carefully following the preparation!
To be truly respectful of the recipe should be used, such as cheese, graveera kritis (Γραβιέρα Κρήτης) or possibly kefalotiro ... I had to remedy using some pecorino.
For the rest, the choice of meat is quite free: since it is generally a home-made preparation, the meat that is present is ground. Wanting to be refined you could use lamb; I have limited myself to a mix of beef mince and swine from outdoor breeding.

And my son diners were satisfied!

This recipe also has an advantage, like all baked preparations: it can be prepared in large quantities (the only limit being the size of the trays available) and then portioned and stored in the freezer for other occasions.
Provided that it remains ...

If you want to follow me, let's prepare mine together pasticcio.

Ingredients for eight people:

ziti

g.

500

minced meat

g.

500

extra virgin olive oil

  q.s.

peeled apart

g.

400

Red wine

cup

½

graviera Kritis (v. above)

g.

200

medium onion

pc.

1

garlic

clove

1

clove

pc.

1

cinnamon

TS.

1

Origan

TS.

2

butter

ct.

1

salt and pepper

 

q.s.

is preferably used for bechamel

   

butter

g.

40

flour

g.

40

milk

ml.

500

salt, pepper and nutmeg

 

q.s.

eggs

pc.

2

Attention: the cheese indicated will be used half in the preparation of the pasta and half to complete the béchamel.

Preparation:

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This is not a very quick preparation and you can certainly start by preparing, even the day before, the meat sauce.
Chop up the onion and garlic and fry them in olive oil over medium heat in a pot of adequate size.
Just beginning to turn golden add the minced meat and brown it for a few minutes.

Pour the red wine and let it evaporate.
Season with spices (and remember at the end of cooking to remove the clove).

Stir well and add the peeled tomatoes.
Bring to a boil and allow to simmer, then covered, for about twenty minutes.

Cook the ziti and just al dente drain and stop cooking under a jet of cold water.
Season them with a tea spoon of butter because they do not stick and keep them aside.

Prepare a bechamel not too consistent (at the time of use it will have to be transformed into a good mornay sauce with the addition of two beaten eggs and half the cheese - eg pecorino - indicated in the recipe) and season it with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Arrange in a pan greased with oil just over a third of the ziti and cover them with the meat sauce.

Cover the ragù with half the cheese.

Arrange the rest of the ziti in the pan.

Beat the eggs with the whisk, add the remaining half of the cheese and then mix gently with the bechamel.

Cover the pasta with the sauce completely, possibly using a spatula.

Bake in a preheated static oven at 180 ° / 200 ° for 40 '/ 45', until the béchamel has formed a nice golden crust.

Il pasticcio is ready to go to the table and be served.

To each according to their taste ...
Buon appetito!

ADVICES AND NOTES:

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  • print pdf Recipe, text only: to print or download
  • In the absence of Greek cheese or pecorino, as a last resort, you can easily resort to a parmesan cheese. It will not be just like in the original dish but you will not look bad!
  • If you prepare the pasticcio the day before it can be heated in the oven, with hot air, for about fifteen minutes at 150 °; possibly already portioned.
  • If you want the pasticcio has more consistency compact, mix 3 tsp with the meat sauce. of the mornay sauce prepared to cover the pasta.
  • A suggestion for a nice way to offer this dish to guests: heat the pasticcio, ready-made, in single-portion terracotta trays and serve directly to the table.
  • Do not forget to keep the meat sauce quite fluid!

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