How to Make Pasticho by John E. Koniditsiotis

cottage cheese

🥗Healthier: ricotta cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Ricotta provides a similar texture with lower calories.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: cheddar cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat while cheddar offers a different flavor.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free option, while grana padano is a less expensive cheese.

Fill a pot with water and add sea salt; bring to a boil.

Add lasagna noodles to boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water, adding a little olive oil to prevent sticking.

In a large skillet, heat 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.

Peel and chop 1 onion and 4 cloves of garlic; add to the skillet and sauté until fragrant.

Add 4 lbs of ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, about 15-20 minutes.

Season the beef with sea salt, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of red wine; mix well.

Stir in 8 oz of tomato sauce and 8 oz of water; let simmer for a few minutes.

In a bowl, beat 1 egg and mix it with the drained lasagna noodles to help them stick together.

In a separate bowl, beat 8 eggs and add a little salt; mix well.

Layer the noodles in a baking dish, followed by a generous amount of parmesan cheese, and then the meat sauce on top.

Pour the egg mixture over the layered noodles and sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the pasticho for 1 hour, checking after 30 minutes to see if it needs to be turned.

Let the pasticho rest for a couple of hours before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens