Try traditional Pastitsio for Greek Easter
Greek Easter will be celebrated Sunday. In the Greek Orthodox Church's tradition, the seven weeks of Lent are in preparation to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. During that period, followers abstain from consuming any animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese.
On Holy Saturday, following a midnight Mass where everyone carries a lighted candle during the service, families share a nocturnal meal that begins with Easter eggs and a lamb soup called Mayeritsa. During the day, the women are busy baking Easter breads and cakes while the men get the lamb ready to be placed on the spit the next day.
Pastitsio is quite a popular dish in Greece and is often served during the Easter festivities. It might have originated in Italy from pasticcio pasta. The traditional Greek version includes a layer of pasta mixed with eggs and cheese, a middle layer of ground beef cooked with tomato sauce and spices, then another layer of pasta and finally, a thick layer of béchamel.
The pastitsio is then baked until golden brown. At Café Collage, we will serve a Greek Easter buffet, comprised of approximately 15 to 20 authentic Greek dishes, starting at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
PASTITSIO
16 cups water
1⁄3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, cut in small cubes
3 pounds penne pasta
8 ounces butter
For beef ragout:
1 onion, thinly sliced
1⁄3 cup olive oil
4 pounds ground beef (I use grass-fed lean beef)
Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons dried Greek oregano
3 cups tomato sauce
For béchamel:
8 ounces butter
1 cup flour
8 cups milk
6 egg yolks, beaten
Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For baking:
6 eggs, beaten
1 pound grated Parmesan cheese or Greek Kefalotyri cheese
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preparation
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the oil, salt and penne pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente (firm but not hard). Drain the pasta and let it sit for five minutes. Add the butter and stir until well combined. Set aside.
Prepare beef ragout: In a large pan, sauté the onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Add the ground beef; season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and oregano and stir to combine. Cook until the meat is browned and all the fat has come out. Drain the beef and discard the fat. Return the beef to the pan and add the tomato sauce. Cook for another 15 minutes, then remove from heat. Let the ragout cool for 10 minutes.
Prepare béchamel: In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk to make a smooth paste. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg and let the béchamel rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Add the beaten eggs to the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Divide the cooked pasta in two portions. Oil a 12- by 18-inch shallow baking pan.
Evenly spread one half of the pasta in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of the cheese on top. Pour the beef ragout over the pasta and spread evenly. Top with the second portion of cooked pasta. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over all and sprinkle with nutmeg on top.
Bake the pastitsio for 45 minutes to an hour, until the top is a light golden brown. Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into 3-inch squares.
Serve it warm. Ideal accompaniments are French green beans or a Greek salad.
Salim Ben Mami is head chef and owner of Café Collage restaurant in Oregon House, Calif. Contact him at 530-692-2555 or ccollage@succeed.net. His website is cafecollage.net.
