Pastitisio

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Pastitsio is a traditional Greek Dish, a little like a Greek version of lasagne, using macaroni pasta rather than lasagne sheets. This dish will make a great weekend family meal, all sat together sharing some delicious hearty food. And at 400 calories per portion you know you aren’t going to break the calorie budget.

Pastisio is packed with traditional Greek flavours of garlic and tomatoes, as well as some others you might not expect such as cinnamon and thyme.  The white sauce isn’t the traditional recipe either, and is bursting with flavour! I am sure this will be making it on to the menu on a regular basis after tasting it! If you like to make meals that fit in with your calorie budget but the family will love too, then this totally hits the mark. Thanks to Dianne for another fab recipe!!

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Pastitisio

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  • Author: Rachel Wilcock
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
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Description

Traditional Greek dish

Ingredients

Scale

1 celery stick

3 carrots, peeled

3 large white onions, peeled

low calorie cooking spray

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

400g 5% minced beef (for vegetarian version use 2 x 400g tins of green lentils, drained)

1 beef stock cube (veg stock cube if making veggie version)

1 red wine stock pot

200ml boiling water

300g mushrooms

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or Henderson’s relish if veggie)

salt and pepper

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

375g short pasta (macaroni or penne for example)

1 x 500g carton of passata

2 tbsp tomato puree

For the white sauce:
500g fat-free Greek Yogurt

2 eggs

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp onion granules

1 tsp garlic granules

60g reduced fat cheddar

15g parmesan or vegetarian equivalent

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180 C or gas mark 6)
  2. Finely chop the celery, carrots and onions and add to a large saucepan with the low calorie cooking spray and minced garlic. Fry over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until vegetables have softened.
  3. Add the minced beef and brown for about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the stock cube and wine stock pot to the 200ml of boiling water and dissolve. Pour the stock into the saucepan.
  5. Finely chop the mushrooms and add them to the pan along with the thyme, cinnamon, balsamic vinegar & Worcestershire sauce.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes.
  7. Add the chopped tomatoes and place a lid on the pan and leave to simmer on a low heat for a further 15 minutes.
  8. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. While the pasta is cooking, make the white sauce by mixing the Greek yogurt, eggs, nutmeg, onion granules and garlic granules together in a bowl.
  9. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and split it in half. Take the saucepan with the mince off the heat. Pour one half of the pasta into the saucepan and add the passata and tomato puree. Pour the other half of the past into the white sauce and stir.
  10. Spoon the pasta and the meat sauce mix into the bottom or a large baking dish and spread it out. Spoon the pasta and white sauce mix on the top of the meat sauce. Grate the cheeses and scatter over the top.
  11. Place the dish into the oven for 25 minutes until the top is golden. Serve.

Notes

This recipe can be frozen once cooked, defrost fully before reheating to piping hot.

  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 55

Nutrition

  • Calories: 400

 

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