Pasticcio or Pastitsio

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 medium-sized onions, chopped
• 1 kg minced lamb or beef
• 1 gr. can/n tomato(s), chopped
• 250 ml red wine
• 250 ml chicken broth
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp oregano, dried
• 2 bay leaves
• 350 g macaroni or ziti
• 2 medium-sized eggs, lightly beaten
• 750 g natural yogurt, 3.5% or 10%
• 3 medium-sized eggs, lightly beaten
• 200 g Manchego, grated
• 2 pinch(s) nutmeg, grated
• 50 g Parmesan, grated
• 80 g breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper, black from the mill

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Italian (ground beef), Greek (ground lamb), “mighty” good

Heat the oil in a large, medium-high skillet. Add the ground beef and cook over high heat until well browned, breaking it up continuously to avoid lumps. Fry the garlic and onions until golden yellow. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, stock, tomato paste, oregano, and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. While the beef is cooking, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain well. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and mix in the 2 beaten eggs. Pour the egg-pasta mixture into a 4-liter non-stick baking dish and spread it out. Spoon the meat sauce over the top and spread it evenly. Whisk the yogurt, the additional 3 beaten eggs, the Manchego cheese, and nutmeg in a bowl and pour the sauce over the casserole. Mix the Parmesan and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake the casserole for about 40 minutes at 180-190°C (350-375°F) until the crust is golden brown and crispy. Let stand for 20 minutes before slicing, so the cheese settles a little and the sauce is less hot. Serve with a green salad. The Manchego cheese can be replaced with Parmesan.