Pastitsio is a traditional Greek dish made with savory ground meat, creamy white sauce and layers of noodles. This recipe has a twist, with the addition of apricots and spinach for a sweet and savory combination. It’s hearty, flavorful and perfect for a family meal or potluck.
Ingredients used:
- 1 pound - Lean ground turkey
- 1 cup - Chopped onion
- 3 cloves - Minced garlic
- 19 ounces - Canned tomatoes
- 0.33 cup - Dried apricots (7-9 halves)
- 1 teaspoon - Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon - Dried basil
- 0.25 teaspoon - Ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon - Ground nutmeg
- 4 cups - Cooked egg noodles (about 8 ounces dry)
- 10 ounces - Frozen chopped spinach
- 0.33 cup - Parmesan cheese
Recipe steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat, cook ground turkey until no longer pink; drain well and discard fat; set meat aside.
- To skillet, add onion and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Return ground turkey to skillet.
- Break tomatoes into small pieces and add to skillet along with apricots, oregano, basil, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- In a large amount of boiling water, cook noodles according to package directions until al dente (tender but firm); drain well.
- Squeeze excess liquid from spinach.
- Place 1/2 of noodles in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the meat mixture and all of the drained spinach.
- Top with remaining noodles, then remaining meat mixture. Spread bechamel sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake, uncovered for 35 minutes or until golden and hot. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Pastitsio is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a family meal or a potluck. The addition of apricots and spinach give it a unique and delicious flavor that everyone will love! Enjoy it as a main course or a side dish. Bon appetit!
