Greek Macaroni Cheese With Chicken Food

GREEK PASTITSIO RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook the pasta to al dante according to package instructions. Be sure to add salt and olive oil to the boiling water. Drain and transfer pasta to 9 1/2" x 13" baking pan like this one. While still hot, drizzle pasta with a little more extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle grated Parmesan. Toss to combine. Set aside for now.
• Make the meat sauce. In a large pan or skillet like this one, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Saute onions until just golden, then add lean beef and garlic. Season with salt. Cook until meat is fully browned, tossing regularly and breaking up the meat with your wooden spoon (about 8 to 10 minutes). Carefully drain any excess liquid and return pan to heat. Add wine, crushed tomato, bay leaves, spices and pinch of sugar. Mix to combine. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then lower heat and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or so. Taste and adjust salt to your liking.
• While the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the bechamel. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook until golden (if needed, added a little more olive oil). Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add nutmeg.
• In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot bechamel mixture with the 2 eggs in a small bowl. Then return all to the pan with the remaining bechamel mixture. Continue to stir or whisk the mixture bringing to a gentle boil for just 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken a little more (you should have a creamy, thick and smooth bechamel sauce).
• Assemble the pastitsio. Top the cooked pasta with the meat sauce; smooth with a wooden spoon to fully cover the pasta. Now top the meat sauce with the bechamel topping. Again, smooth with your wooden spoon to cover the meat sauce evenly.
• Bake the pastitsio in 350 degrees F heated-oven for 1 hour until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into square pieces and serve.

30-MINUTE GREEK MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 220C/430F.
• Cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions, then drain and tip back into the pan. Stir through a drizzle of oil and put a lid on the pan to stop it sticking and drying out.
• Meanwhile, pulse the cheeses, milk, eggs and nutmeg (if using) in a food processor until combined (about 10 seconds). Set aside.
• Wilt the spinach in a roughly 10 inch/26 cm cast iron skillet/frying pan (if you have one - see notes) for a few minutes, then tip into the pan with the pasta.
• Add the evaporated milk 'sauce' and combine well, then pour into the cast iron pan. Smooth down, then sprinkle evenly with the breadcrumbs and parmesan.
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until nicely golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.

GREEK CHICKEN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until tender yet firm to the bit, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; add artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano, and cooked pasta. Cook and stir until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with lemon wedges.

GREEK MACARONI & CHEESE WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut chicken into 2 by 1/2-inch strips Arrange the strips in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet (this makes it easier to season and dredge them). Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoons black pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl, and dredge the chicken in flour on both sides.
• Place a large (12- to 14-inch) sauté pan over high heat for a couple of minutes. When hot, add the olive oil, swirl the pan to coat, and add the chicken strips in a single layer. Cook in batches if needed. Cook until slightly browned, about 1 minute. Turn the pieces or stir them so they brown evenly, about 1-1/2 minutes more.
• Reduce the heat to medium-high. Push the chicken strips to the side of the pan as they continue to cook, and add the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute, but do not let it brown or it will taste bitter.
• Add the tomatoes, season with 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoons black pepper, and cook until they start to give off their juices, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium (6- to 8-quart) pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously (it should taste like the sea). Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain (but don't rinse, or you'll rinse away starches that will help thicken the sauce) and return to the empty pot.
• Add the spinach, oregano, remaining 1/2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoons black pepper to the pan with the tomatoes. Stir until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine to the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, and cook over medium-high heat until reduced slightly and the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Add the feta and olives to the pan, stirring well to incorporate. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce has thickened slightly. (Careful! Your pan can't be too hot or the butter and sauce will separate and look oily. If that happens, take the sauce off the heat and add more feta to help the sauce bind together.).
• Stir the sauce into the cooked and drained pasta in the pot. Place over medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes to thicken the sauce and allow the pasta to absorb the flavors, stirring now and then.
• Serve in individual bowls topped with Parmesan cheese.

GREEK MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°; bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil; add in macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes until al dente; drain and place in a large bowl.
• To blanch the spinach: bring 4 quarts salted water to a simmer over med-high heat; have ready a large bowl of ice water and a slotted spoon; add spinach to simmering water (in three or 4 batches) and submerge it.
• Let cook about 15 seconds, remove with the slotted spoon, and plunge into the ice water; let spinach cool completely, drain it, and squeeze out the excess water; if the leaves are large, chop them into bite-sized pieces; set aside.
• In a blender or food processor, puree the feta cheese with the milk, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper (blend in two batches, if needed); this will not be completely smooth; there will be very small chunks of cheese remaining.
• Stir the cheese mixture into the cooked macaroni; then add the minced rosemary and thyme, garlic, red pepper flakes, olives, cherry tomatoes, and blanched spinach.
• Transfer mixture to a 13x9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with parmesan cheese and the mixed herbs.
• Bake on the middle shelf 25-30 minutes until the pasta is heated through and the top is slightly browned.

GREEK LAMB & MACARONI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the lamb mince, turn up the heat and brown, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon.
• Once the lamb is browned, add the cinnamon, crumbled stock cube, tomatoes and oregano. Stir well and simmer for 15 mins, covered, then for 15 mins, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have cooked down.
• Meanwhile, cook the macaroni following pack instructions. Drain well. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Mix together the ricotta, most of the parmesan and the milk with plenty of seasoning, and stir into the macaroni. Tip the mince into a large baking dish, top with the macaroni mixture, and scatter over the remaining parmesan. Bake for 30 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve hot with garlic bread, if you like.

GREEK MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In microwave safe bowl or sauce pan combine milk, cream cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, feta, mozzarella/cheddar and Greek seasoning.
• Blend well and heat stirring to prevent burning.
• Add spinach, mushrooms, olives; stir thoroughly.
• Spray no-stick spray in baking dish, spread out macaroni and cover with cheese/veggie mix
• Bake for 35 minutes.