Greek Meat Loaves 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.

GREEK MEATLOAF WITH FETA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir the spices and crushed crackers into the ground beef.
• Stir the eggs into the milk, stir into meat mixture.
• Mix in the feta cheese and press into a 9x13 pan.
• Cover loosely with foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes,at 350, drain.
• Resume baking without foil for 15 minutes or until done.

GREEK CHICKEN MEATLOAF WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• MEATOAF.
• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• Heat skillet over med-high heat, add oil.
• Sauté onion, peppers celery to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic; cook for 2 minutes to release flavor.
• Set aside.
• In large mixing bowl, stir together chicken and next 8 ingredients plus sauté veggies.
• Mix until just combined; too much mixing toughens meat.
• Spray a 9" loaf pan with cooking spray.
• Spread mixture into the pan, making sure that there are no air spaces in mixture.
• Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in center register 165F degrees.
• Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
• SAUCE.
• Mix all ingredients and chill at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Makes 1 cup.
• GYROS.
• Using favorite pita round, cut in half and cut for pita pocket, if needed. Slather lots of sauce inside pita. Slice meatloaf or cut into 1" cubes. Insert about 1/4 cup meatloaf, lettuce, sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumber (optional) -- ENJOY!

MINI GREEK MEATLOAVES WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
• In medium bowl, mix meatloaves ingredients. Scoop generous 1/3 cup meat mixture into each muffin cup, pressing down slightly.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center of one loaf reads 160°F. Let stand in pan 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix tzatziki sauce ingredients; refrigerate until serving time. Serve meatloaves with tzatziki sauce.

LITTLE MEAT LOAVES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into eight loaves. , Place on a rack coated with cooking spray in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Spoon ketchup over the loaves. Bake 15 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 160° and meat is no longer pink.

GYRO LOAF WITH TSATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix loaf ingredients together and shape into a freeform loaf in a baking pan.
• Bake at 375°F for about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Once loaf has cooled to room temperature or has chilled in the refrigerator, slice it as thin as possible (maximum of 1/4 inch).
• Serve it warm or at room temperature.
• Can be served in pitas, flatbreads or tortillas with lettuce, tomato, black olives, feta cheese and Tsatziki Sauce or as a main course with a Greek salad, pasta salad or potato salad.

MINI GREEK MEAT LOAVES WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Spray 8 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
• In medium bowl, mix meat loaves ingredients. Scoop generous 1/3 cup meat mixture into each muffin cup, pressing down slightly.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center of one loaf reads 160ºF. Let stand in pan 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix tzatziki sauce ingredients; refrigerate until serving time. Serve meat loaves with tzatziki sauce.

MINI GREEK-STYLE MEAT LOAVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoons mint, 1 tablespoons thyme, 1/4 teaspoons salt, allspice, and next 3 ingredients (through egg). Press meat mixture into 8 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450 degrees for 7 minutes. Turn broiler to high; broil 3 minutes.
• Combine yogurt, feta, 1 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoons mint, and 1 teaspoons thyme in a mini food processor; pulse 10 times to combine.
• Combine 1 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoons juice, 1/8 teaspoons salt, and pepper in a bowl; stir. Add arugula and cucumber; toss.
• Serve meat loaf with yogurt/feta sauce with arugula/cucumber salad on the side.