Lamb Pastitsio With Butternut Squash and Bèchamel Sauce
- Ready In:
- 1hr 44mins
- Ingredients:
- 25
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
-
Pasta
- 1 medium butternut squash (I substituted a 'Delicata' squash from our CSA box)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 12 ounces free range ground lamb
- 12 ounces free range ground beef
- 3⁄4 cup dry white wine (use broth or stock for non-alcoholic version)
- 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 14 ounces fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- salt, to taste
- fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 3⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 lb dry pasta (I used 3/4-inch ditalini. Read recipe intro^^)
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1⁄2 cups parmesan cheese, grated (read recipe intro^^)
- dried greek oregano
-
Bechamel Sauce
- 3⁄4 cup butter
- 3⁄4 cup unbleached flour
- 3 cups milk
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- white pepper, to taste
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt (I used half that amount if not less)
directions
- Original recipe: Peel the uncooked squash, cut in half and remove seeds. Dice into 1/2” cubes (approx. 6 c). Season with salt and pepper and steam or sauté until tender (approx. 15 min); set aside.
- ------->> Or, *my change:* I cut the squash in half lengthwise and placed the two pieces on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Drizzled lightly with olive oil, light sprinkle of ground cinnamon, salt and pepper and roasted @ 425 degrees for about 45 minutes or until tender. The flesh was scooped out, mashed with a fork and stored covered in the fridge. This was done the day before to cut down on prep time.
- Heat up the olive oil In a large sauce pan on medium heat and sautè onion 3 minutes, until slightly softened.
- Add lamb and beef and cook 6-8 min; drain off all excess fat.
- Add wine, parsley, tomatoes and seasonings; simmer 10 minutes.
- Add breadcrumbs, adjust seasoning if necessary; set aside.
- Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente (you want the pasta *slightly* undercooked). Drain and toss with butter, eggs and 1 cup Parmesan/cheese mixture; set aside.
- Prepare Béchamel sauce: In a sauce pan, melt butter, slowly whisk in flour and stir constantly approximately 5 minute Add milk, whisking constantly. Stir until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, cool slightly and stir in eggs, nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease 9”x13” baking dish with olive oil. Place half of the pasta on the bottom in an even layer pressing lightly with a flat spatula. Spoon meat mixture over pasta, spread evenly.
- Top with squash (I spread the squash puree with a spatula), repeat with remaining pasta, pressing down lightly. Finish with Béchamel, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan. (I stirred the cheese into the Bèchamel sauce and melted it until smooth). Lightly sprinkle the top with Greek oregano.
- Bake 45 min, until crust is light golden brown. Important: Let rest 20 minutes before serving.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
COOKGIRl
United States