PASTITSIO PENNE

Serves 6

Pastitsio is an amazing Greek pasta dish with lots of ground beef, layers of creamy béchamel sauce, and tons of carbs.  It’s comfort food at its best, but I wanted to take this old favorite of mine and give it a new twist with our amazing ISOPASTA Penne.  There’s some new flavors, some new proteins, and a good dose of feta cheese to bring lots of flavor without the sodium or calories.  Best of all, this pasta bake keeps well for days, making it a great fit for your meal prep lifestyle.

Wine Recommendation:  A big, loud Cab will pair amazingly with this hearty dish.  Cheers!

I hope you enjoy this delicious addition to your healthy ISO lifestyle!

Kelly Pipich, Isolator Fitness’s Executive Chef

Ingredients:

  • 8.82oz ISOPASTA Penne (1 small bag)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ lb ground lamb
  • ½ tbsp dried peppermint
  • 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, NOT drained
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin, divided
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¾ tbsp ras-el-hanout (most grocery stores will carry this in their spice aisle)
  • 1 c milk (I used whole milk in the nutrition facts, but you can sub in whatever you prefer)
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp rice flour
  • 3 oz crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400˚ and spray a 6-8 c baking dish with your favorite nonstick spray.
  2. Cook your ISOPASTA Penne according to the package directions.  In a fine mesh strainer, drain your penne when it is cooked to al dente.  Put the pasta in a large mixing bowl and toss it with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and 1/8 c of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Check your ISOPASTA Penne for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.  Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium and sauté your onion and garlic until softened.  Add the ground lamb and cook, breaking up the lamb into even little pieces until no pink remains.
  4. Stir the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, mint, cinnamon, ras-el-hanout, and 1¼ tsp cumin into the lamb, stirring well to incorporate the mixture together.  Cook the lamb and spices over medium heat for another 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and set it aside.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.
  5. Meanwhile, microwave the milk for 1 minute to heat it and set it aside.  In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil over medium heat and whisk in the rice flour to make a roux.  Cook, whisking, until the roux is thickened, fully blended, and starting to take on a light tan color.  Gradually whisk in the milk and whisk everything together until thickened and well blended.
  6. Stir the feta and remaining ¼ tsp cumin into the milk mixture until well blended and season with salt and pepper if desired.
  7. In your prepared baking dish, layer half of the pasta, followed by all of the lamb, spreading the lamb sauce evenly.  Top with the remaining pasta and then the cheese sauce, spreading the sauce evenly over the ISOPASTA Penne.  Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top and bake uncovered for 20 minutes, rotate the baking dish so it browns evenly, and bake for another 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Serving
Calories 424.7
Calories from Fat 187.5
Total Fat 20.8g
Saturated Fat 10.9g
Cholesterol 53mg
Sodium 324.7mg
Potassium 378mg
Net Carbohydrates 16.1g
Sugars 5.1g
Protein 41.6g

The post PASTITSIO PENNE appeared first on ISOLATOR FITNESS BLOG.

Back to ISO