I love Greek food. There was this little Greek restaurant in Florida that I used to go to all the time with my daughters. Sadly, there aren’t any Greek restaurants near my home in Georgia. Oh, how I’ve missed it. Over the last few months my daughter and I have been recreating some of our Greek restaurant favorites at home. So far we’ve have made Baklava, Spanakopita, and Pumpkin Hummus. This past week I tackled a Greek dish that might be a little less known in the U.S. and made a Greek Pastitsio Casserole. My family gobbled up this hearty casserole with it’s flavorful cream sauce. It has the traditional Greek spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.

Greek Pastitsio Casserole

ingredients:

12 oz. penne pasta
1 1/2 lb. ground sirloin
1 ½ c. yellow or white onion, chopped (1 large onion)
1 ¾ tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 T. all-purpose flour
8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
2 c. low-fat milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

directions:

Coat a 9X13-inch or equivalent baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot of lightly salted, boiling water, cook the penne pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add beef or turkey to the pan with the diced onions and 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to break up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through. Drain excess grease from the meat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute or so.

Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture, stirring to combine, and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add the cream cheese in pieces, scattering it over the meat. Let it melt into the meat and stir to combine.

Whisk or stir in the milk, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning and tomatoes. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook 5-6 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened and is thoroughly heated through.

Stir in the pasta and spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the pasta and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the cheese is starting to brown (watching carefully so it doesn’t burn).

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Let it stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

Note: You could use 1 pound of ground sirloin in the recipe. I just wanted mine extra meaty.

This recipe Greek Pastitsio Casserole is perfect to make on the weekend and have ready for a busy weeknight. You can easily make it ahead. Just assemble everything in the afternoon, and then put it in the oven to warm it through and melt the cheese at dinner time.

Greek Pastitsio Casserole

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Ingredients

  

• 12 oz. penne pasta
• 1 1/2 lb. ground sirloin
• 1 ½ c. yellow or white onion chopped (1 large onion)
• 1 ¾ tsp. salt divided
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 6 garlic cloves finely minced
• 2 T. all-purpose flour
• 8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
• 2 c. low-fat milk
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

 

• Coat a 9X13-inch or equivalent baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large pot of lightly salted, boiling water, cook the penne pasta according to package directions.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add beef or turkey to the pan with the diced onions and 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to break up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through. Drain excess grease from the meat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute or so.
• Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture, stirring to combine, and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add the cream cheese in pieces, scattering it over the meat. Let it melt into the meat and stir to combine.
• Whisk or stir in the milk, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning and tomatoes. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook 5-6 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened and is thoroughly heated through.
• Stir in the pasta and spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the pasta and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until the cheese is starting to brown (watching carefully so it doesn’t burn).
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Let it stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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