Pasticcio

We were in a blue and white Greek mood this weekend, dining at our local Greek greasy spoon on Friday night (Zorba's, I love your taramsalata and fries) and finishing the weekend with some pasticcio yesterday evening. There's really nothing much to the dish, which is best described to the non-Astorian as the staple Greek lasagne of the neighborhood, but it is fairly work intensive in the sense that you need to make the bechamel, and the tomato sauce. The result of all this work, though, is a satisfying meal with plenty of leftovers. Honestly, is it that far from your mom's cream of mushroom soup casserole? No. But the bechamel and the good tomato sauce elevate it beyond the worst of 70's humdrum.

Tomato Sauce - fry onions and garlic, add lots of meat (we used 99% fat free ground turkey - yes, shame on me for not grinding my own, but it matters less when you cook as throughly as you do in a casserole) add good tomatoes, and simmer with cinammon and nutmeg for an hour.

Bechamel - Basic bechamel. Make a roux with equal parts butter and flour, add cold milk, and cook for half an hour until thick.

Assembly - cook pasta (I don't think the shape matters) and pour half of it into a greased dish. Add the tomato sauce and some parmesan cheese. Add the rest of the pasta, and then pour over bechamel. Add parmesan on top for extra flavor and color, and cook uncovered for about an hour.

Serve with greek salad.