Pastitsio

Meat Sauce

 

3 lbs. hamburger

2 medium onions (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

Salt, pepper, and cinnamon to taste

1 small can tomato paste

1 small can tomato sauce

1/2 cup red wine

Water (1/2 cup or more as you cook)

 

Brown meat with onions and garlic.  When brown, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cinnamon.  Then add tomato paste, tomato sauce, wine, and water.  Simmer for about one hour.

 

Cream Sauce

 

1 quarts milk (4 cups)

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup milk

3/4 cup corn starch

5 egg yolks (reserve whites)

Pepper and salt to taste

8 oz. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

 

Heat milk, butter, and salt.  Mix remaining ingredients (except cheese) and add to heated milk.  Continue heating, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Use remaining Parmesan cheese when assembling casserole.

 

Macaroni

 

1 lb. large macaroni or penne pasta

5 egg whites

2 whole eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

1 cup of cream sauce (above)

 

Cook macaroni in salted water until just tender.  Drain and return to pan. Mix remaining ingredients and mix together with macaroni.  

To assemble, use a very large deep baking pan or two smaller deep pans (deeper than a cake pan).  Should be at least 12" x 16" or two 12" x 8" pans if smaller.  Disposable foil roasters are good.  Sprinkle bottom of pan or pans with Parmesan cheese. Spread with half of macaroni mixture.  Sprinkle again with Parmesan cheese.  Now spread all of meat sauce evenly over the macaroni.  Sprinkle again with Parmesan cheese.  Spread rest of macaroni mixture over the meat sauce layer.  Sprinkle again with Parmesan cheese.  Spread cream sauce evenly over top of macaroni to cover.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or more until bubbly around edges and top is lightly browned.  Freezes well.

The F & T Restaurant (where all the lawyers had lunch) was operated by the Patronises. They served delicious Pastitsio, a Greek dish. Roberta (Durden) Powell and I were the editors of the newsletter for the legal secretaries association.  We had a recipe column, and I  asked Mrs. Patronis for the recipe for her pastitsio.  She said she didn't have one, but invited me to her home to watch her make it and record the ingredients.  I showed up and she made a huge pan of Pastitsio.  When it was ready to put in the oven, much to my surprise she gave it to me and sent me home.  I was delighted and so were Donald and all the boys.