Pastitsio vegetarian

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g pasta (macaroni)
• 100 g Parmesan
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion(s), chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 125 g soy granules
• 400 ml vegetable stock
• 125 ml red wine
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp flour
• 500 ml milk
• 1 tsp broth, granulated
• salt and pepper
• nutmeg
• oregano
• Fat, for the shape

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 2 hours

meatless version of the Greek classic

Grease a casserole dish with at least a 2-liter capacity. Bring plenty of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni for about 8 minutes. The pasta should not be fully cooked, but still have a nice bite. Drain the pasta, place it in a bowl, and toss it with half of the Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of butter, and 1 lightly beaten egg. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Set aside. Place the soy granules in a separate bowl and pour over 100 ml of boiling vegetable stock. Stir briefly, then cover and let swell for a few minutes. If the soy granules haven’t absorbed all of the liquid, press out a little with the back of a spoon. Heat olive oil in a deep pan (preferably coated, as the soy granules burn easily) and sauté the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the swollen soy granules and sauté together with the tomato paste. Deglaze with the wine and the remaining vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. In another saucepan, heat the remaining butter and sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly. Let it foam briefly, then gradually add the milk. Simmer over moderate heat for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season with nutmeg, granulated stock, salt, and pepper, and remove from the heat. Once the béchamel sauce has cooled slightly, whisk in 1 egg. Mix 3 tablespoons of the béchamel sauce into the soy granules and tomato sauce. Pour one-third of the soy granules and tomato sauce into the prepared baking dish. Spoon half of the macaroni, cheese, and egg mixture on top. Cover with the remaining soy granules and tomato sauce and spread the remaining pasta on top. Press firmly with the back of a spoon. Spread the béchamel sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for approximately 45-50 minutes. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.