This is my healthy take on a Greek classic pastitsio. Instead of a rich cheesy sauce, it’s topped with a much lighter blend of yoghurt, tahini and parmesan. It can also be made with beef mince if you prefer, but I personally prefer to use lamb.
Serves: 6
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Servings
6
Prep time
Cook time
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 600g lamb mince
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 60mL red wine
- 700g passata
- 125mL chicken-bone broth or stock
- 1 zucchini, diced into 1cm pieces
- 2 carrots, diced into 1cm pieces
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 250g rice & quinoa penne pasta
- 1 cup chopped baby spinach
1 clove garlic - 2 cups full-fat natural or Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp sea salt
Black pepper
1 egg
¼ cup grated parmesan - 2 tbsp pine nuts
Handful parsley leaves, finely chopped, to serve
Method
- Heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion. Sauté for couple of mins.
- Add garlic and lamb mince, and sauté to brown mince. Add cinnamon, mixed spice, bay leaf and oregano and cook for 1 min until fragrant.
- Turn heat up high and add red wine — it should sizzle and reduce quickly.
- Reduce heat and add tomato passata, broth, zucchini, carrots and seasoning. Cover and simmer with lid ajar for 15–20 mins.
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
- While sauce is simmering, boil penne. Once almost cooked, drain and rinse and mix with sauce and baby spinach. Place into ovenproof serving dish.
- In food processor, grate cheese and set aside.
- Blend garlic, yoghurt, tahini, sea salt, pepper and egg. Pour over sauce/pasta mix, and top with grated parmesan and pine nuts.
- Bake for 10–15 mins or until cheese is melted and top browned. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with green, leafy salad.
Tried this recipe? Mention @wellbeing_magazine or tag #wbrecipe!
