Phyllo Layered Pastichio Recipes

PHYLLO-LAYERED PASTICHIO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles; drain., Stir in tomato sauce, wine, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf., Meanwhile, cook ziti according to package directions for al dente. Drain and return to pan. Stir in cheese, eggs and 1/4 cup butter., Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush with butter. Layer with 9 additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Cut phyllo stack crosswise in half; place a stack in each of 2 greased 8-in. square baking dishes. , In each dish, layer 2 cups pasta mixture and 1 cup sauce. Repeat layers. Prepare a second stack of 10 phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter; cut in half and place a stack over each dish., Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Freeze option: Cool unbaked casseroles; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casseroles as directed, increasing time to 60-70 minutes or until golden brown and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

GREEK PASTITSIO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cook the macaroni according to the package directions and drain well. Return the cooked macaroni to the pot and add 1 cup of the melted butter, the milk, eggs, mizithra, feta, and Parmesan cheeses, nutmeg, and white pepper. Stir until well combined. Pour the macaroni mixture into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring until browned thoroughly, about 10 minutes. Drain well and set meat aside. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the oil, onion, and garlic. Sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato paste, red wine, beef broth, parsley, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour over the macaroni mixture. Place one sheet of the phyllo on top of the macaroni. Using a pastry brush and the remaining 1/2 cup of melted butter, lightly coat the phyllo with butter. Working quickly, add another sheet of phyllo and brush it with butter. Repeat the layers until you have used all 10 sheets of phyllo. (You may need to overlap the phyllo sheets to entirely cover the pasta.) Cut two or three vents in the top of the pastry.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the eggs and cheese are set. Cool the casserole slightly before cutting into squares and serving.
• Though working with phyllo dough takes a little extra work, Crystal is always thrilled with the results we get. So light and flaky, it makes a tasty topping for many casseroles and pastry dishes. We always work with frozen sheets of phyllo (it's inexpensive and awesome) and find that it is easiest to use when thawed in the refrigerator overnight.
• Here are a few of Crystal's tips for working with this delicate dough. Have a few things on hand when you start to layer the sheets: a pastry brush, a small bowl of melted butter, damp paper towels, and parchment paper. To get started, remove the pastry sheets from the package and unfold them onto parchment paper. Cover the dough with damp paper towels to keep the pastry moist. (Phyllo dries out quickly, so it's important to keep the dough covered.) Work with one sheet at a time, keeping the rest covered.
• You can store the sheets in the refrigerator for up to three days, wrapped well in foil, but do not try to refreeze any sheets that have been thawed. Unused packages can be stored in the freezer for up to a couple of months.