The original pastistio is basically baked pasta with beef mince and long tube-shaped pasta, topped with a thick béchamel sauce. Our version here is lighter, a cheat’s pastitsio, full of nice vegetables and fresh herbs! Try it. No carbs, we promise!
Serves: 1 round baking dish 30cm Prep. time: 40′ + 15′ waiting Cooks in: 1:20′ Ready in: 2:0′
Ingredients
12 artichokes, jarred (preserved in oil), drained, in pieces
2 cups broad beans, boiled, drained
1 bunch nettles, cleaned
500 g spinach, cleaned
6 spring onions, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 fresh garlic scapes, finely chopped
1 bunch dill, finely chopped
1 cup feta cheese, crushed
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt, freshly ground black pepper
dried breadcrumbs
For the yogurt bechamel
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp flour
3 garlic cloves, mashed
2 cups hot water
½ cup fresh lemon juice
250 g strained yogurt
salt, freshly ground black pepper
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven at 200οC/fan. Boil nettles for 5-6 minutes. Drain well. Chop spinach, season with salt and squeeze well with your hands.
Step 2
In a large frying pan heat 2 tbsp oil and cook all onion and garlic scapes for 5 minutes or until tender.
Step 3
Brush your baking dish with oil, sprinkle bottom with dried breadcrumbs and cover with artichokes. In a bowl mix the rest of the ingredients and remaining oil, season with salt and pepper ad spread over artichokes.
Step 4
For the yogurt bechamel: In a small pan heat oil and cook flour for 2-3 minutes until light brown. Stirring constantly with an egg beater add water and lemon juice until you get a smooth creme. Add yogurt, garlic, stir again and pour over vegetables in the pan.
Step 5
Bake for 50 minutes or until bechamel thickens and gets a nice color. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Photo Konstantinos Kafiris – Food styling Elena Jeffrey
Και η συνταγή στα ελληνικά: Παστίτσιο με ανοιξιάτικα χόρτα και κηπευτικά
