When I was (much) younger, I did a lot of online chatting and met some really amazing people who all shared a love of the same band. We spend countless hours talking to each other on IRC and some of these relationships eventually culminated in meeting “IRL” (In Real Life). One of the first things I did when I got my job at ESPN was to plan my first ever 2-week vacation, to NY and Philadelphia to finally meet some of these online friends. I planned everything and tried to stay on a budget, so my choice of hotels in NYC was pretty limited. Also, I hadn’t really travelled much and was shocked to find out that $85/night only got me a closet sized room with a SHARED bathroom! It was smaller than any dorm room I’d had in college! I was pretty disappointed and called my friend in New Jersey and told her all about it. She basically said “Oh hell no! You’re going to come stay with me!” and drove into the city to pick me up and take me back home with her to the house she shared with her brother.

It was more than I expected, but the very best part was to come later that week. Her family was Greek and her mom came over to visit and made a casserole for us called pastitsio. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever had… ground lamb and beef with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, layered with smooth hollow pasta and tomato sauce, topped by an amazing creamy bechamel sauce. I couldn’t get enough of it! We ate it the rest of the week for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, until it was all gone (it was quite a giant-sized casserole) and ever since then, it’s been my go-to order at Greek restaurants.

Unfortunately, it’s very high in calories and fat and so over the years I have tried to come up with a version that would be more healthy. I had a disasterous experience with a recipe from Cooking Light that nearly turned me off pastitsio for good. However, a few years ago when we experimented with a low GI diet, we bought The Good Carbs Cookbook and were surpised to find a recipe for “Greek Macaroni Casserole” that was basically a version of pastitsio! After trying it and realizing it was not only healthy, but also easy to make and tasty, I was hooked! I make this version, with slight variations (sometimes I use beef, sometimes turkey or chicken, different types of pasta, adding veggies, etc),  and it satisfies my cravings. It’s not the same as the original, but it has all the same flavors and it makes a hearty meal.

This recipe makes 6 servings and has 300 calories per serving (20% fat, 47% carbs, 33% protein). It makes a great meal when paired with a big salad.

Ingredients

• 6 oz macaroni, penne or ziti pasta
• 12 oz lean ground meat
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon or allpsice
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 oz can stewed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp parmesan cheese

For the sauce:

• 3 tbsp unbleached flour
• 2 cups lowfat milk
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp egg substitute or egg whites
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions, drain and set aside
3. Saute the meat in 1 tbsp oil. Add cinnamon or allspice, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add chopped onions, garlic (if desired), stewed tomatoes and tomato paste to the meat, cover and simmer over low heat until the onions become soft and the flavors develop, about 10-15 minutes.
5. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the flour and 1/4 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. Continue whisking and slowly add the rest of the milk, egg susbstitute (or egg whites), nutmeg and a pinch of salt.
6. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then whisk and heat again for 3-4 more minutes, whisking after each minute, until the sauce is thick and creamy.
7. Mix the pasta and meat mixture together. Mix in 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese and spread evenly in an 8×8 (2 quart) pan. Slowly pour the white sauce over the top and sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of cheese on top.
8. Spray the top with cooking spray and bake for 35 minutes. Let cool and set for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.