Greek Lasagna Vegetarian Recipes

GREEK PASTITSIO RECIPE (GREEK LASAGNA WITH BéCHAMEL)

Steps:

• To prepare this traditional pastitsio recipe (pastichio), start with the meat sauce. Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and the beef. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and brown for 4-5 minutes. Pour in the red wine and wait to evaporate. Add the canned tomatoes, the sugar, cinnamon, clove, the bay leaf and season. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes, until most of the juices have evaporated. (After the meat is cooked, discard the bay leaf, the clove and the cinnamon)
• Prepare the bechamel sauce for the pastitsio. Melt the butter in a large pan over low-medium heat. Add the flour whisking continuously to make a paste. Add warmed milk in small batches, whisking continuously in order to prevent your sauce from getting lumpy. If the sauce still needs to thicken, boil over low heat whilst continuing to stir. Remove the pan from the stove and add the egg yolks, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and the grated cheese (50g/ 1.7oz.). Whisk quickly, in order to prevent the eggs from turning an omelette! Season with salt to taste.
• Cook the pasta for the pastitsio 2-3 minutes less than the package instructions, so that they don't get mushy after turning out of the oven later. Drain the pasta and stir in the egg whites and the feta cheese (smashed with a fork) and mix gently with a spatula.
• For this pastitsio recipe you will need a large baking dish, approx. 25*35 cm / 10*14 inch. Butter the bottom and sides of a pan and assemble the pastitsio. Layer the pasta, top with the meat sauce and even out. Top the pastitsio with the bechamel sauce and smooth out with a spatula.
• Sprinkle the pastichio with grated cheese and bake in preheated oven at 180C (350F) Fan for about 40 minutes, until crust turns a light golden brown. Let the pastitsio cool down for a while before serving.

GREEK LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni noodles, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until beef is evenly browned. Remove from heat, and drain grease. Stir in the tomatoes, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cinnamon. Mix in pasta, and transfer to a large baking dish.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together the milk and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Add butter, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat, and pour the sauce over the mixture in the baking dish.
• Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, until the top is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

PASTITSIO (GREEK LASAGNA)

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and then gradually whisk in the hot milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Stir in the salt, remove from heat and let cool. When the sauce is lukewarm, whisk in the eggs. Set aside.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and saute until softened and golden. Crumble the beef into the skillet and cook with the onions until the beef is browned. Stir in the cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir in the water and tomato paste, and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Cook ziti according to directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cool water. When pasta has cooled down, stir in the beaten eggs and 1½ teaspoons salt.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a deep 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. You really need a deep casserole dish for this recipe (deeper than the usual 9x13-inch pyrex).
• Scoop half of the pasta into the bottom of your prepared dish. Sprinkle generously with cheese. Spoon on the meat mixture to create an even layer; sprinkle with another layer of cheese. Scoop the remaining pasta on top of the meat and sprinkle with more cheese! Top with the cream sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake 45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and golden on top. Let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving (but it is suggested that you refrigerate to let the layers set... and then warm up later to serve).

PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in the pot
• Saute the onions and garlic
• Add the tomatoes, herbs, spices and salt and pepper and stir well
• Simmer until aromatic and thickened
• Turn off the heat
• Boil the pasta in saltwater until just cooked and drain
• Beat the two egg whites and add to the pasta along with the cheese and stir
• For the Bechamel, melt the butter in another pot or saucepan
• Add the flour and stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until a smooth paste
• Gradually pour in the milk and whisk over heat until a thick creamy sauce is achieved
• Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg
• Add the eggs and 1/2 cup of cheese stirring constantly
• In a large, deep pan arrange half the pasta evenly inside
• Cover with the meat sauce
• Cover with the rest of the pasta
• Cover with the Bechamel sauce and garnish with the rest of the cheese
• Bake for approximately 1 hour or until Golden Brown

GREEK LASAGNA-VEGETARIAN

Steps:

• In a saucepan, warm the olive oil briefly on medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions have begun to release their juices. Stir in the garlic and marjoram and saute until the onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, cover, and bring to a simmer. Then reduce the heat to medium low, just enough to maintain a simmer. Add the olives, salt, and pepper. Add the dill just before assembling lasagna for best flavor.
• Preheat oven to 400*F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet.
• While the sauce gently simmers, lay the eggplant rounds on baking sheet. Brush them with olive oil. Bake, uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven and reduce the heat to 350*F.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the eggs, cottage cheese, fennel, and 1 cup of the feta cheese together and set aside.
• Lightly oil a 8"x10"x3" casserole dish. Evenly spread 2 cups of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of noodles and cover with 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Next, layer all of the eggplant rounds, 1 cup of the feta cheese, a second layer of noodles, and another cup of the sauce. Finish with all of the egg and cottage cheese mixture, a third layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce, and the remaining cup of feta cheese.
• Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover the lasagna, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN GREEK LASAGNA

Steps:

• boil 5 qt.s H2O & par boil sheets of lasagna. Strain & add cool H2O, let sit./In lg. pan,saute onion & add garlic & pasta sauce. blend: feta, oregano & cooked/strained spinach. blend:tofu & chopped basil. In a lg. rect.pan, coat with thin layer of (pasta)sauce, add layer of noodles to cover bottom,add layer of tofu spread/ add layer of sauce with sliced blk.olives, add layer of noodles, layer of spin.& feta spread/add lasagna noodles/layer of sauce. To the final layer, add the greek olives (with sauce). cook in a 350 oven for 35 min./covered then, uncovered 10 min. with 1/2c.parmesean cheese. serve with a green salad. (optional: and serve with hot "french" bread and a bottle of red wine.)