Lamb And Eggplant Pastitsio

Recipe Ingredients

		For Lamb Sauce
1		Onion - chopped (large)
1 tablespoon	15ml	Extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb	454g / 16oz	Lean ground lamb
1		Garlic clove - minced
1 1/2 teaspoons	7.5ml	Salt
1 teaspoon	5ml	Dried oregano - crumbled
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Sugar
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Freshly-ground black pepper
1 lb	454g / 16oz	Eggplant - peeled, and
		Cut into 1/2" cubes
1		Crushed tomatoes - (28 to 32 oz)
		For Cheese Sauce
2 tablespoons	30ml	Unsalted butter
2 tablespoons	30ml	All-purpose flour
2 cups	474ml	Milk
1		Garlic clove
1		Whole clove
1/2 lb	227g / 8oz	Feta cheese - crumbled
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Salt
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Freshly-ground black pepper
2 teaspoons	10ml	Eggs (large)
		For Pasta
10 oz	284g	Penne - (3 cups)

Recipe Instructions

To make lamb sauce: Cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately-low heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add lamb and cook over moderately-high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, and pepper and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

Stir in eggplant and tomatoes and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is just tender, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes more. Season with the salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make cheese sauce and cook pasta while lamb sauce is simmering: Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and add garlic clove and whole clove, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add feta, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking vigorously, until cheese is well incorporated.

Beat eggs in a large bowl and gradually add sauce to eggs, whisking. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, then drain in a colander. Toss half of pasta with lamb sauce and half with cheese sauce.

Assemble pastitsio: Pour pasta with lamb sauce into a wide shallow 3-quart baking dish, spreading evenly. Spoon pasta with cheese sauce on top, spreading evenly. Bake pastitsio, uncovered, in middle of oven until bubbling and top is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Source:
SARA'S SECRETS with Sara Moulton - (Show # SS-1C03) - from the TV FOOD NETWORK

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10 (2 votes)

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