Low Fat Pastitsio Food

NIKKI'S PERFECT PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss with butter; add grated Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles; drain. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in tomato sauce, salt and cinnamon; heat through. Spoon over pasta. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese., In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened., In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Pour over beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese., Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes longer or until golden brown.,

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.

TURKEY PASTITSIO-LOW FAT!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220/425/Gas 7.Fry the turkey and onion in a large non-stick pan without fat,stirring until lightly browned.
• Stir in the tomato paste,red wine/stock and cinnamon.Season,then cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water until just tender,then drain.Layer with the meat mixture in a wide oven proof dish.
• Place the milk,margarine and flour into a saucepan and whisk over a moderate heat until thickened and smooth.Add nutmeg and season to taste.
• Pour the sauce evenly over the pasta and meat.Arrange the tomato slices on top and sprinkle lines of breadcrumbs over the surface.
• Bake for 30-35 mins,or until golden and bubbling.

LOW FAT PASTITSIO

Steps:

• COOK pasta and DRAIN.
• NOTE: Can be any kind of pasta; I like rigatoni.
• In non stick pan, heat chicken broth and saute onion and mushrooms until soft; ADD ground beef and cook until brown.
• ADD chopped tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, cinnamon.
• STIR until most of the liquid evaporates (About 7 minutes).
• NOTE: Can use 2 400g canned tomatoes as well.
• NOTE: Can use 12 ounces of 10 percent beef and omit mushrooms.
• In same saucepan that pasta was cooked in, COMBINE eggs, milk and cornstarch (also called cornflour).
• CONSTANTLY stir over low heat for 10 minutes.
• REMOVE from heat, add fat free parmesan cheese and nutmeg.
• In large baking dish, LAYER 1/2 pasta, 1/2 tomato sauce then remaining pasta and remaining tomato sauce.
• COVER with white sauce; make sure to cover all pasta.
• BAKE for 35 minutes at 170°C (325F).
• ENJOY!
• NOTE: Taste tomato sauce mixture and adjust to your preference; ie if you do not like that much garlic, use 2 or 3 cloves.

PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Start cooking the pasta.
• While pasta is cooking, separate meat in a skillet or shallow pan. When a little brown, add 1 to 2 cans of tomato paste. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon; and a little water to help cook if necessary.
• While the meat is cooking start on the crema (bechamel style sauce). Mix the eggs with the milk in large pot. Add in 1 cup of flour and whisk constantly until it thickens and all lumps are gone. Add the remaining flour at 1/4 cup at a time if needed (the mixture will be very thick). Turn heat to low and continue stirring constantly. Once lumps are gone and the consistency is correct, add the butter and 1 cup of the parmesan, and stir in.
• Drain the pasta and mix in about one and a half cups of the crema and 3/4 cup of the remaining parmesan. Put half of the pasta mixture into a greased 9x13 dish (if you have a deeper or larger one I would use that). Layer meat on top of noodles. Add remaining pasta on top of the meat and then spread all of the crema on top. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
• Bake at 170C/fan for 45-50 minutes or until top is slightly brown and let it cool 15 minutes before cutting.
• Serve with a small Greek or Italian salad and enjoy!