Greek Style Casserole Food

GREEK CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Brown beef and onions in butter.
• Slowly, add tomato paste, wine, spices and diced tomatoes.
• Simmer 10 minutes; let cool.
• Mix in the egg and fine bread crumbs.
• Mix together parmesan and romano cheeses; set aside.
• Butter a large casserole dish. Cover the bottom with coarse bread crumbs.
• Layer half the macaroni on top of the bread crumbs and cover with 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture.
• Top this layer with the beef mixture.
• Top with half of the remaining cheese mixture then layer the remaining macaroni.
• Top with tomato sauce and remaining cheese mixture.
• Top it all with remaining bread crumbs.
• Pour melted butter evenly over all.
• Bake 30 minutes in 400F degree oven.

GREEK NOODLE CASSEROLE (PASTITSIO)

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the lamb, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and mint. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• For the sauce: Simmer the milk and cream over medium heat in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese and whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yogurt.
• Add the meat sauce to the pasta and toss well until the noodles are coated. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce evenly on top and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped mint if using, and serve.

PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ground beef, and cook until crumbly and no longer pink. Pour in the water and tomato paste. Season with salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon; cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, adjust salt to taste, then refrigerate until cold. Once cold, remove any congealed fat, and thoroughly mix with 2 beaten eggs, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, and rinse under cold water to cool. Mix the macaroni in 2 beaten eggs until well coated.
• Evenly spread half of the macaroni mixture into a 11x14x2 inch baking pan, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan cheese, and drizzle with 1/2 cup of melted butter. Spread the meat mixture overtop, then finish with the remaining macaroni. Sprinkle the macaroni with another 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and drizzle with 1/2 cup of melted butter.
• Whisk together 4 beaten eggs with the half-and-half, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, flour, and salt; whisk until well blended. Pour the cream mixture evenly over top of the pastitsio, and sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Cover the pan with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake until the top has turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

GREEK-STYLE CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Separate the chicken legs at the joints; wipe dry.
• In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat; saute the chicken until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
• Add the onion and garlic; cook for about 3 minutes or until softened.
• Stir in the tomatoes.
• Add the tomato sauce, wine, salt, sugar, oregano and pepper; bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened.
• Return the chicken to the pan; cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni for about 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Stir the macaroni and olives into the chicken mixture.
• Sprinkle with the feta and parsley; bake in a 425 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the feta has melted.

GREEK STYLE PENNE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cut chicken breasts into small cubes; saute until just cooked through.
• Sprinkle seasonings over top, stir to distribute evenly and add canned tomatoes and sauce.
• Stir to deglaze and bring sauce to simmer while cooking pasta.
• Bring large pot of water to boil; stir in penne and cook until al dente, approximately 9-10 minutes.
• Drain thoroughly.
• Stir egg and 1/2 of feta cheese together; add to pasta.
• Layer pasta in casserole dish or 8 x 12 inch baking pan sprayed with cooking oil spray.
• Pour sauce over top (sauce will be thin and will settle throughout pasta).
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned on top.

GROUND BEEF GREEK CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a large skillet add the beef,onion and garlic until meat is browned and onion is tender.Drain off the fat.Add the tomatoes,1/4 teaspoon salt,pepper and cinnamon.Simmer for 15 minutes.Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese and macaroni.
• In a 12x8x2 glass casserole dish add the mixture and set aside.In a sauce pan or the skillet melt the butter,blend in the flour and remaining1/4 teaspoon salt.Stir in the milk and cook for about 5 minutes stirring all the time or until sauce is thick.Cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs one at a time.Stir in the remaining1/4 cup cheese and pour over the meat mixture. Place in a preheated oven at 375 and bake for 30-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

GREEK POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Stir in mashed potatoes. Transfer to a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. , Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over casserole., Bake, uncovered, at 350° until golden brown, 40-45 minutes.

MOUSSAKA - GREEK CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Potatoes:.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toss the potatoes with the olive oil in a large bowl.
• Put them in a single layer on a baking sheet and season to taste.
• Roast until soft and starting to brown, about 35 minutes.
• Béchamel Sauce:.
• In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add flour and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes until it starts bubbling but does not color.
• Gradually whisk in the hot milk.
• Continue whisking for about 6 to 8 minutes until it thickens.
• Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Put the eggs in a large bowl.
• Whisk the béchamel sauce into the eggs.
• Continue whisking for a few minutes until the béchamel has cooled slightly (enough so that the eggs won't curdle).
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
• Make sure to place wrap directly on the surface of the sauce so a skin does not form.
• Set aside.
• Lamb:.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
• Add lamb and sauté until cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 6 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.
• Add wine, cayenne pepper, and oregano and cook 2 minutes.
• Stir in cinnamon, tomatoes, tomato paste and nutmeg.
• Reduce heat to medium.
• Cover and simmer until sauce is very thick and reduced to about 6 cups, stirring occasionally, about 60-70 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, preheat the grill on medium-high heat.
• Brush the eggplant slices with oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill until cooked through and golden, about 2 minutes per side.
• Set aside.
• To Assemble:.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a 14x10x2-inch glass baking dish with oil.
• Arrange potatoes in bottom of dish.
• Arrange half of eggplant slices over potatoes.
• Pour half of lamb sauce over.
• Arrange another layer of eggplant slices on top.
• Pour remaining sauce over.
• Pour béchamel sauce over moussaka, covering completely.
• Bake moussaka uncovered until bubbling around edges, about 1 hour or until topping is softly set and browned.
• Transfer baking dish to rack and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.