Pasticchio and Moussaka, family-size Folklorama recipes

Pasticchio

 

About two years ago I spent a few months posting recipes from the Folklorama pavilions which had been on display during the summer of 1980.

I also described what they were like and what they thought was important to share with visitors.
It was interesting seeing how the cultural mixture in Winnipeg has changed over a span of forty years.

The crafts and dances have always been varied and unique.
But, no matter where people came from, they all have had great food.

One of our favourites has always been the Greek pavilion.
What’s not to love? They have it all - great food, unique displays and dancing!

When I posted about the pavilion I included their recipe for pasticchio.
Of course it was authentic and delicious.
But, to be honest, a bit too much for the average family.
Especially now when we can’t invite friends and family to share the feast.


Because of Covid-19, Folklorama has been cancelled for its second summer.
Just like last year, we’ll miss going to it, but it’s understandable.
Covid-19 won’t prevent us from enjoying a plate Greek food anytime we want.
Maybe we’ll sip some ouzo and watch Zorba or My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Opa!!


Hints:
If you don’t have ricotta, you can substitute cottage cheese.
Serve either recipe with a crisp salad or a cooked vegetable, such as garlic green beans.

The seasoning is a start.
If you want your dish more or less spicy, adjust to taste.

About the Pasticchio…
I usually use penne, but ziti or elbow macaroni or any tubular pasta will also work.
The eggplant is optional. Don’t have it or like it, no problem.

If you ever go to a Greek restaurant and see Pastitsio or Pasticcio, it’s the same dish as Pasticchio.

About the Moussaka…
If you don’t want the layer of cheese in the middle you could leave it out.
Or you could just use a layer of the cheese you prefer... or have on hand.


                        Pasticchio

Have on hand 2 8-inch square pans

Wash and cube
1 small eggplant

Chop
1 small onion

Have on hand
1 pound ricotta

Place in a large pot
4 quarts water
salt to taste
Bring water to a boil.
Add
1 pound macaroni 

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente - about 8-10 minutes.
Drain, blanch with cold water in a large bowl, and set aside.

Place in a dutch oven
4 Tablespoons olive oil
Add the cubed eggplant and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Place the cooked eggplant in a bowl and set aside.

Place in the same dutch oven
2 Tablespoons butter
Add
the chopped onion
6 ounces lean ground beef
Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked.
Stir in
5 1/2 ounces tomato paste
1 Cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
the cooked eggplant
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, prepare the cream sauce.
Melt in a large pot
1/2 Cup butter
Stirring continuously to avoid lumps, add gradually
1/2 Cup flour
Cook 1 minute.
Add gradually while stirring
4 Cups milk
Stir until the sauce is thickened.
Stir in
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
Stirring, cook another 2 minutes.
Remove 2 Cups of the sauce and set aside.

Add to the sauce remaining in the Dutch oven
the cooked pasta
3 large eggs
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Stir well to combine.

Preheat oven 350º F

Place one fourth of the macaroni mixture in each pan.
Top each pan of macaroni with
1/2 pound ricotta
Cover each pan with half of the beef eggplant sauce.
Top the beef eggplant sauce with the remaining pasta.
Pour 1 Cup of the reserved sauce over each pan.
Sprinkle over each pan
grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes before serving.


                        Moussaka

Grease 2 8-inch square pans

Thinly slice
2 pounds potatoes

Place in a dutch oven
2 quarts water
salt to taste
Bring to a boil.
Add the potatoes slices.
Blanch the slices in for two minutes and drain.
Set aside.

Combine in a bowl
1 Cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 Cups ricotta
Set aside.

Chop
3 medium onions

Place in the same dutch oven
4 Tablespoons olive oil
Add
the chopped onion
1 pound lean ground beef
Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked.
Add
5 1/2 ounces tomato paste (optional)
4 Tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon flour
Simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
Stir in
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons milk

Preheat oven 350º F

Place one fourth of the blanched potato slices in each pan.
Top each pan of potatoes with
1/4 of the meat sauce
1/2 of the cheese mixture
1/4 of the meat sauce
the remaining potato slices

Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes.

While the potatoes are baking, prepare the cream sauce.
Melt in a large pot
1/2 Cup butter
Add gradually and stir continuously to avoid lumps
1/2 Cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
Cook 1 minute.
Add gradually
4 Cups milk
Stir until the sauce is thickened.
Add
Pinch ground nutmeg
Stirring, cook another 2 minutes.

Remove the pans from the oven after they have baked for 30 minutes.
Pour half of the sauce over each of the two pans of potatoes.
Bake at 350º F for another 20 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Anna Sultana’s Spinach Appetizers, Greek style / Easy Spanakopita

A few days ago we ate out and I enjoyed my favourite - spanakopita.

Spanakopita is like the Maltese recipe Timpana, a savoury filling in puff pastry.

If you leave off the pastry you have another favourite - Imqarrun il-forn.

What would I do if I couldn’t buy a serving of Spanakopita?

I guess I would make Ma’s Spinach Appetizers.

This was one of those recipes she enjoyed on the Greek ship we travelled on when we were immigrating from Malta.

It is a bit of a job to make, as are all good things.

It also is open to variations, as are all good recipes.

If you want to avoid the phyllo sheets you could make

Anna Sultana’s Greek Spinach & Cheese Quiche

Want some starch to serve with the main course? Make either

Anna Sultana’s Roasted Lemon Potatoes and Rice, Greek Style

or

Anna Sultana’s Roasted Lemon Butter Parmesan Potatoes, Greek Style

Hints:

The filling can also be used as a dip. 

You might want to leave the egg out since it won’t get cooked.

Usually a box of phyllo has about 21 sheets.

If you want to just use one box, you could make the rolls with 4 instead of 5 sheets.

To keep the phyllo sheets from drying out while preparing the recipe, place a damp towel over the sheets you aren’t using at the time.

You can make the rolls ahead and freeze them up to 3 months for last minute entertaining.

Place them in a large freezer-weight resealable plastic bags, or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. 

Remove from them freezer 30 minutes before baking. 

Place on baking sheet and let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes.

Heat the oven to 375º F and bake 25 minutes. 

Filling variations to add...

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon each of dried oregano and thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon each of garlic, oregano and pepper

1/4 Cup grated parmesan
chopped sundried tomatoes and black olives with a dash of oregano

roasted red peppers

crab meat

diced black olives

Filling variations to substitute...

shredded mozzarella

drained ricotta instead of cream cheese

broccoli with cream cheese and cheddar cheese

Of course you can make variations on the variations.

Shape variations:

You can make individual ones that are shaped like triangles. 

Instructions are inside the filo box.

The filling works well with puff pastry or crescent roll dough.

It won’t be as flaky if you use crescent roll dough.

Have extra spring roll or wonton wrappers? 

The recipe can be used to make about 100.

You could freeze them on a cookie sheet and then placed in freezer-weight resealable plastic bags to store  up to 3 months. 

Bake for 15 minutes at 375º F.

You can also place wonton wrappers in a mini-tart pan, and fill them with some filling.

Bake at 350º F for 18 - 20 minutes. 

You could also use your favourite pastry to make mini quiches with the spinach filling.

                        Spinach Appetizers

Makes 5 logs or 30 servings

Grease well a large cookie sheet.

Place in bowl and thaw

300 grams frozen chopped spinach

Squeeze dry and set aside. 

Cover with a damp towel

25 sheets frozen filo dough 

Let thaw and set aside.

Crumble into a measuring cup enough to make

1 1/2 Cups Feta Cheese, crumbled 

Finely chop

4 green onions (optional)

Have on hand

1/3 cup butter, melted

Place in large bowl 

1 egg 

the drained spinach

the chopped green onions

the crumbled feta cheese

250 grams cream cheese

the chopped green onions

the crumbled feta cheese 

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix until well blended.

Place a damp dish towel on a flat surface.

Place 2 filo sheets (one on top of the other) on the dish towel.

Brush the top sheet lightly with melted butter.

Top with 1 or 2 more filo sheet(s).

Brush the top sheet lightly with melted butter.

Top with 1 more filo sheet.

Spread 1/5 of the spinach mixture along one short side of the phyllo stack. 

Fold in the long sides of the filo stack.

Roll up from the filled short side to make a log. 

Place the log on the greased cookie sheet.

Brush the top of the log with some of the remaining butter. 

Repeat with remaining filo, filling and melted butter to make four more logs. 

Heat oven to 375º F

With a serrated knife deeply score the phyllo at 1 inch intervals.

Bake 25 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Cool 5 minutes. 

Transfer the rolls to cutting board.

Use the serrated knife to completely cut each log into 6 slices. 

Anna Sultana’s Greek Spinach & Cheese Quiche

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 just premiered.

Of course everyone in Winnipeg is cheering for our local celebrity, Nia Vardalos, who wrote and starred in the movie!

Vardalos also wrote and starred in the 2002 film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

If you loved that film - and just about everybody did - you’ll love her new movie.

Winnipeg is the sort of town where, if you’ve just met someone, within five minutes of conversation you’re sure to mention someone you both know.

All you have to do is volunteer, or get out the house, and you’ll meet someone who knows someone, who knows someone you both know.

Really, it always happens.

Back in 2012 I posted about when my folks had visited us in 1993.

It was August and Folklorama was in full swing, so we took them to enjoy the show and food at the Greek pavilion in St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church.

I’d still swear that Nia Vardalos was one of the performers that night.

So, anyone who went to the Greek pavilion back then could say they’ve seen Nia and, through Folklorama, they’re one degree of separation from Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.

Ah, Winnipeg… land of the stars!

When we visit the Greek pavilion, and whenever we find a Greek restaurant or place in a food court, I love to get spanakopita.

It is a bit of a job to make as the filling is wrapped in phyllo dough or puff pastry.

To make phyllo nice and crispy you have to smear butter or olive oil over the layers.

I try to keep it to a monthly treat.

The pastry wasn’t a dietary problem when I was younger.

Now… problem.

Okay, let’s think this through…

Adjustments in everything must be made as one gets older.

And adjustments sometimes have to be made to recipes.

In a way spanakopita is like the Maltese recipe Timpana, a macaroni casserole with an layer of puff pastry on top.

For those who are cutting back on carbs there’s a variation which doesn't have the pastry, Imqarrun il-forn.

The basic goodness of spanakopita comes from its filling of spinach and feta cheese.

Okay, focus on the good: spinach and feta cheese, preferable low fat cheese.

It can be done without the pastry.

Hints:

If you’d like to have a meal without doubling up on the quiche, serve with a salad.

All you need to turn a tomato salad into a Greek salad is to add sliced cucumber, a bit of red onion and a few kalamata olives, then dress it with olive oil.

You could top it with some crumbled feta cheese.

A glass of ouzo would be nice, too.

Want to avoid the eggs and dairy?

You can also make a vegan version of quiche, which is usually eaten during the Great Lent and other religious fasts.

It is made with spinach, onions or green onions, and green herbs like dill, parsley or celery, olive oil and a little wheat flour.

The mixture is then oven-baked until crisp. 

You can also use tofu instead of cheese.

This can also be made with less spinach, just top off the vegetable part with leeks, chard and / or sorrel.

These substitutions would also work in a spanakopita.

                        Greek Spinach & Cheese Quiche

Thaw in a bowl
600 grams frozen chopped spinach

Squeeze and drain off the liquid and set the spinach aside. 

Crumble into a measuring cup 

Feta cheese

You need to have 4 Cups of crumbled cheese.

Set  aside.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Place in an 8 inch square pan

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine

Place the pan in the oven to melt the butter, about 2 minutes.

Remove the pan and swirl the butter around to cover the pan’s bottom and sides.

Set aside.

While the pan is in the oven, place in a large mixer bowl  

3 large eggs

Beat until mixed.

Add

1 Cup flour
1 Cup milk
1 teaspoon baking powder 

Beat until blended.

Stir in

the drained spinach

the crumbled feta cheese

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon dried minced onion (or 2 teaspoons onion powder)

Stir until blended. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake 35 minutes. 

Remove pan from the oven and let stand 15 minutes.

Cut into squares and serve.