Recipe for Pastitsio
Makes 8 servings; use a 13x9x2 or a 7x11 glass baking dish to make this.
From WWers "Take-Out Tonight" Cookbook. I modifed a couple things; Nutrition listed is for my version.
Ingredients
3 cups 2% milk
1/4 c. cornstarch
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (or red. fat)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg, ground
1/2 pound spaghetti (or whole wheat will do)
1 T EVOO
1 onion, chopped
1 lb lean ground sirloin (you could use ground chicken or turkey, but my nutritional facts are for sirloin, FYI)
1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, chopped (I use the jarred garlic, pre-minced)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.
2) To make the white sauce, combine the milk, cornstarch, and eggs in large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, 7-9 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, and the nutmeg; cover and set aside.
3) To save time, do this before step 2 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
4) To make the filling, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the onion. Cook, stirring occassionally, until the onion is softened, 4-6 minutes. Add the sirloin and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned 5-6 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, cinnamon, and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring often, until liquid from tomatoes evaporates I actually take a bit off the top of the tomatos and squeeze some of the juice into the sink before chopping them to reduce the amount of moisture I'm "waiting" to evaporate.
5) Arrange half the cooked noodles in an even layer on the bottom of the baking pan. Top with the filling (all of it), then top with remaining spaghetti. Spread the white sauce evenly over the spaghetti. Sprinkle sauce with remaining 2 T of cheese. Bake until top is golden, 30-35 minutes. Cut and cool at least 5 minutes before serving.
Hope you like it! I thought it was very tasty, and it's a quick fix if you can multitask a couple pots at once.