Hi guys!! I am very happy that I mastered down a traditional Greek recipe, and turned it into a vegetarian dish. ( Due to fasting for over 3 half weeks now, I can not eat meat. So, I made this recipe into a vegetarian dish.) Don’t worry, I still made my family the traditional pastitsio. 🙂

Pastitsio Vegetarian Style ( Greek Lasagna) 

Serves 10 

Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 5 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• pinch of nutmeg
• Kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, bring milk to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Stir occasionally, making sure the milk does not boil.
3. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
4. With a wooden spoon, add the flour to the butter, and stir until the mixture forms a paste, roux.
5. Using a wired whisk slowly add in the hot milk, to the roux.
6. Remove sauce from heat, once it thickens.
7. Add in the salt, and nutmeg.
8. Cover the bechamel until ready to use.

(If you need more sauce, double the recipe.)

Filling  Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 block of firm tofu ( cut into tiny pieces.)
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 large white onion diced
• 1/4 cup of white wine
• 1 1/2 cans of tomato sauce
• 1 bay leave
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 packet of penne pasta
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup of Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt & ground pepper

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, garlic, and tofu.
3. Cook until the tofu is slightly brown.
4. Add the wine and turn the heat up to medium high.
5. Cook until the wine is evaporated.
6. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, oregano,cinnamon, and seasonings.
7. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until most of the juice is evaporated.
8. Add bread crumbs to the mix, and stir.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle a dash of salt.
10. Pour pasta into the pot, and cook for about 10 minutes.
11. Drain and rinse pasta under cold water.
12. In a large bowl, add pasta, egg whites, and Parmesan cheese.
13. Mix thoroughly together to incorporate the egg whites and cheese.
14. Place half the pasta in a deep casserole dish.
15. Next add the tofu mixture over the pasta.
16. Add the rest of the pasta over the tofu mixture. Creating layers.
17. Pour the bechamel sauce over the entire casserole.
18. Cook in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

*I had my mom be the first to try this, and she said it is excellent!! Thank you mom for being the guinea pig, and I will be making this recipe more often. Hey for you vegetarians or the people who are fasting for Greek Easter, check this recipe out. Let me know your thoughts.

I have included the original pastitsio with meat at the link below.

http://kouzounaskitchen.com/2013/07/15/authentic-greek-dish-pastitsio/