Pastitsio is a staple in all Greek families and I cannot think of anybody who does not like this dish. However during lent we abstain from eating any kind of meat or products derived from animals and although I have seen some vegan recipes, most of them have milk in the béchamel. For this reason I decided to make my own recipe which we can enjoy during Lent.
To replace the meat sauce, I decided to make a vegetable sauce and added a variety of vegetables and herbs. Although normally I would add only the canned tomatoes, I decided to added an extra cubed tomato for some extra colour in the dish and the carrots, combined with the onions, added a lovely sweetness to the sauce. The filling turned out to be too much for the quantity I needed, so you can either add half the ingredients or store the remaining in the deep freezer to be used another time, as I did.
Although I do not have a garden but merely a small balcony, I grow a few herbs in pots and I’ve recently bought some more herbs so you will be seeing a lot of these in my recipes and of course the difference is amazing. In this recipe, I used fresh parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme from my pots and laurel I picked that morning after walking at Hymettus mountain, which added a lovely aromatic taste to the sauce.
Although I don’t have any fancy camera and other equipment or do I use photoshop, I am sending this photo to Click, created by Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi, just for the fun of participating.
Although this béchamel seems to have a lot of ingredients the result was still very light and tasty and a very healthy dish indeed compared to the classic pastitsio, where the béchamel makes the dish very rich, so I avoid making it very often.
There were leftovers and it was even better the second time we ate it.
Pastitsio Nistisimo, by Ivy
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 300 grams of Penne
Béchamel Sauce - Vegan
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Ingredients: |
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3 |
medium |
Potatoes |
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1/2 |
Cup |
Blanched almonds |
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1 - 2 |
Cloves |
Garlic |
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3 |
Tbsp |
Olive oil (or 1 tbsp margarine) |
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1 |
Tbsp |
Cider vinegar |
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1/4 |
Tsp |
salt |
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1/4 |
Tsp |
Nutmeg |
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White pepper (to taste |
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For the Roux: |
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2 |
Tbsp |
Olive oil |
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2 |
Tbsp |
Flour |
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1 - 2 |
Cups |
Potato water |
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Directions |
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1. |
Peel, wash and cut the potatoes into smaller pieces. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and then simmer until the potatoes are soft. |
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2. |
Reserve some of the water the potatoes were boiled in and then drain the remaining water. |
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3. |
Mash the potatoes with a hand mixer, a fork or any other way you usually mash the potatoes, while still hot and set aside. |
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4. |
In a food processor add the almonds, garlic and vinegar and make them into a puree, adding some of the potato water, if necessary. |
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5. |
Combine the almonds with the mashed potatoes and season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg and set aside |
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6. |
In a separate saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat and mix in the flour, a pinch of salt and the nutmeg and keep mixing until the flour starts roasting and turns into a light brown colour. Add half the potato water and mix to get a thick sauce. If needed add some more water. |
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7. |
Combine the mashed potatoes with the roux and your béchamel is ready. |
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Vegetable Sauce - Vegan
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Ingredients: |
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For the filling: |
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1 |
medium |
Eggplant, cubed |
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4 - 5 |
small |
Courgettes, finely chopped |
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2 |
medium |
Onions, finely chopped |
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2 |
big |
Carrots, grated |
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5 |
medium |
Button mushrooms, sliced |
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1 |
big |
Tomato, peeled and cubed |
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2 |
stalks |
Celery, finely chopped |
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1 |
can |
(500 grams) whole tomatoes, blended |
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1 |
cup |
Water |
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1 |
cup |
Parsley, finely chopped |
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1 |
cup |
Fennel fronds, finely chopped |
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1/2 |
tsp |
Salt |
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Freshly ground black pepper |
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1 |
sprig |
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed) |
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1 |
sprig |
Fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried oregano) |
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1 |
sprig |
Fresh thyme, finely chopped (or ½ tsp dried thyme) |
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Directions |
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1. |
Heat oil in a sautéing pan and sauté the onion and the garlic until translucent. |
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2. |
Peel and cube the eggplant, slice the mushrooms and the courgettes as well as the celery and sauté until they are soft. |
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3. |
Add the carrots, the fresh tomato as well as the blended tomatoes, bay leafs, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, add the water and simmer until the vegetables are cooked and remain with a thick sauce. |
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4. |
When they are cooked mix in the parsley and fennel. |
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Note: the quantity is enough to make two pastitsios, so half quantity can be deep freezed to be used another time. |
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Putting the dish together:
- Prepare pasta, according to the package instructions, about 15 minutes and when cooked drain and add cold water. When the sauce is ready, drain the pasta.
- Brush a baking tin or Pyrex with olive oil and add half of the pasta and 1/3 of the béchamel and mix.
- Add the sauce, then the remaining pasta and on top spread the remaining béchamel.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C until it is golden brown on top, about half an hour.
This recipe goes to Presto Pasta Nights, the brainchild of Ruth, of Once Upon a Feast and which is hosted by another friend Ben, of What’s Cooking.
This recipe also goes to Lore, of Culinarty, for her event Original Recipes.
© copyright: Feel free to use this recipe but please add a link to my post.
Tags: lenten, nistisima, Pasta, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
March 12th, 2009 at 9:43 am
A delicious looking Pastitsio!
Cheers,
Rosa
March 12th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Wow superb recipe.
March 12th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
I wasn’t aware the Orthodox Lent didn’t allow dairy until you informed me. I am not sure if the Catholic one does, but I remember people in Mexico eating cheese during Lent. LOL that’s what I get for not being religious :-p This pastitsio sounds really good. I guess I will have to try to make some soon since I have seen a lot of recipes for it around lately. Great entry for PPN
March 12th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I particularly love the heart photo and what a fantastic bechamel for the pastitsio too.
Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights.
March 12th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
I have been waiting to see this delicious dish after you hinted with your bechamel sauce. It does sound delicious and I can see why the family would rave about it and want seconds.
March 12th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I’d been wondering about how to make a vegetarian pastitsio. This sounds fantastic!
March 12th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I have never heard of this dish, but then i am not a greek, it looks so yumm, it islike a real comforting food.
Yeah i too don’t have fancy camera or lights etc…. and not photoshop, i am giving hints to my hubby to buy photoshop
March 12th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
This sounds delicious … telika to pastitsio mas mporei na parei polles morfes! Love this one Ivy; it is flavorful and hearty and I am sure you do not even notice the missing meat, or even want it in any way.
March 12th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
this looks delicious!! thanks for your entry, dear ivy.
March 12th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
What a great dish for Lent Ivy - I have never heard of this before and it’s always lovely to keep learning new dishes
Nice click too
Rosie x
March 12th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I love this version, Ivy! It has so many delicious goodies in it!
March 13th, 2009 at 6:54 am
The heart photo is so creative and what a beautiful verdant green! I would love to try your pastitsio someday!
March 13th, 2009 at 6:58 am
I don’t think I can ever get enough pastitsio recipes Ivy! This vegetarian version looks delicious and tasty!
March 13th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I like the vegetarian version Ivy. I see that u used the vegan bechamel in this! I never had pastitsio before.
I saw your pic in the gallery .. very nice idea!
March 13th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
This dish looks really delicious and healthy.
March 13th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Mmmm this has a lot of wonderful ingredients. I love your collage as well. Very nicely done as always!
March 13th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Appetizing dish,with herbs fresh from mountains and a vegan béchamel ,a must try pasta recipe:).I like the click on the wood
March 14th, 2009 at 12:14 am
Lovely recipe
Btw, thank you for the wishes…hope your daughter had a wonderful day on the 11th; I’m glad it’s a special day for you too
March 14th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Great recipe. I’ll keep this in mind for lent. Thanks!
March 14th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Gorgeous!! The filling looks so delightful with all those different colours and ingredients. Also love how well it holds together. Thank you for sending it my way
March 14th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
What a wonderful creation. I’ve never tried this, but I wish I could have some right now. Lovely images too Ivy.
March 14th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Your Lenten version of Pastitsio comes with a wonderful and suprising result. You know how one is always hungry during Lent - this dish can alleve that.
March 15th, 2009 at 3:22 am
What a nice recipe, Ivy! Your Pastitsio looks wonderful.
March 15th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
this looks so good! And WOW! A very innovative and I’m sure a wonderful recipe of a dairy and milk free bechamel. A lovel idea of showing all the steps in one picture, looks beautiful too.
March 30th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Appreciate ur effort. Good and nice presentation!