Lamb and Feta Pastitsio

I don’t hate many foods, but you know what? I hate eggplant. I really do. Spongy, tasteless, sometimes seedy in the most unfortunate way… it’s gross. So when my mum told me that her glorious pastitsio had eggplant in it… let’s just say it took me by surprise.

For those who are unfamiliar, pastitsio is kind of like Greek lasagna. It’s meat, it’s cheese, and it’s noodles (and apparently also eggplant… sneaky, sneaky eggplant), and it is goddamn delicious. If you’re looking for something hearty and satisfying, but with a little twist to your usual pasta bake, try this guy out.

Two quick notes:

• Use lamb if you can find it, but if you can’t, ground beef works very well too

• The quality of feta you use matters! If you can, try to get a sheep’s milk variety from Greece - I love the version that Essex St. Cheese Co. imports. It'll really give your cheese sauce some complexity and welcome salinity.

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INGREDIENTS

FOR LAMB SAUCE

1 large onion, chopped

1 TB Olive Oil

1lb lean ground lamb

3 garlic cloves minced

1 1/2tsp salt

1tsp dried oregano

1/2tsp cinnamon

1/4tsp sugar

1/4tsp black pepper

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes

1 28oz can tomatoes, diced

FOR CHEESE SAUCE

2TB unsalted butter

2TB flour

2 cups whole milk

1 garlic clove, minced

1 whole clove (or pinch of ground dried clove)

2/3lb feta, crumbled

1/2tsp salt

1/4tsp black pepper

2 large eggS

PASTA

10oz penne

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METHOD

- Cook onion on the stove top in oil over medium-low heat in a dutch oven until softened and translucent.

- Add lamb and sautee until large lumps are gone and meat has been completely browned.

- Add garlic, salt, oregano, sugar, cinnamon, and black pepper and cook for a couple more minutes.

- Add tomatoes and eggplant, then cover and gently simmer until eggplant is just tender (about 40 minutes).

- Remove cover and simmer about 15 minutes more to thicken.

- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

- While lamb sauce is simmering, make cheese sauce and pasta

- Melt butter in a heavy saucepan, then add flour and cook for about 2 minutes.

- Whisk in milk, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly (about 5 minutes).

- Add salt, pepper, feta, garlic, and clove, and whisk vigorously until cheese has been well incorporated.

- Beat eggs in a separate bowl, then add to cheese sauce while constantly whisking.

- Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water as per instructions until al dente.

- Take out clove from cheese sauce.

- When pasta is al dente, add half to cheese sauce and half to lamb sauce

- Spoon cheese sauce over the lamb sauce in the dutch oven, spreading evenly.

- Bake until golden, 25-30 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes before serving.