by TheRunawaySpoon
View
my 23 other recipes »
Photo 1 of 4
by Sarah Shatz
Photo 2 of 4
by Sarah Shatz
Photo 3 of 4
by TheRunawaySpoon
Photo 4 of 4
by TheRunawaySpoon
A&M's Testing Notes:
Expand CollapseTheRunawaySpoon's Notes:
Expand
1 pound
dried penne or ziti pasta
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1 tablespoon
butter
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
2 pounds
ground lamb
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
2
medium onions, diced
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1/2 cup
red wine
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1 6 ounce
can tomato paste
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1 tablespoon
dried oregano
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1/2 teaspoon
ground sumac (optional)
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1 teaspoon
dried mint (optional)
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
2 cups
water
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
6 ounces
crumbled feta
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
6 tablespoons
butter
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1/2 cup
all-purpose flour
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
3 cups
milk
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1/8 teaspoon
cayenne pepper
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1/4 cup
grated parmesan cheese
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and reserve. Stir in the butter to prevent sticking.
Ask the hotline about this step!In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the lamb until no longer pink, breaking it into pieces, about 8 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Ask the hotline about this step!Transfer to a colander and shake well to drain the fat. Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon, oregano, (sumac and mint if using) and 2 cups of water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
Ask the hotline about this step!For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until incorporated, about 30 seconds. In a slow steady stream, whisk in the milk until there are no lumps. Cook, whisking often, until the mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 - 7 minutes. Stir in the cayenne and the Parmesan.
Ask the hotline about this step!When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Ask the hotline about this step!Add the pasta to the lamb mixture and stir to combine. Toss in the feta and combine. Spoon the mixture into a greased 9 x13 inch baking dish. Spread the cheese sauce over the pasta mixture, smoothing the top with a spoon. Bake until browned in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven then allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
Ask the hotline about this step!I made another version of this for the first time a few weeks ago, from the Martha Stewart Living New Classics cookbook. It was fantastic, but this version looks even better because of the Sumac and dried mint. I'll be trying this version next!
I made another version of this for the first time a few weeks ago, from the Martha Stewart Living New Classics cookbook. It was fantastic, but this version looks even better because of the Sumac and dried mint. I'll be trying this version next!
Made this last night using beef instead of lamb, and fresh mint, not dried. Outstanding! And so easy, too. ;o)
I think this will be a wonderful way to use some lamb leftover from Easter...a small dice ought to work as well as ground lamb, eh?
I made this last month for a large party (double recipe) and it was fantastic. It's funny that flawlessmom thought it tastes a little Moroccan - I actually added a couple of pinches of raz al hanout to the spice mix! The instructions were easy to follow and the end product both looked and tasted delicious. Added bonus was how delicious leftovers were.
THIS WAS SO GOOD! The flavors taste more Moroccan than Greek to me. It was even better the second day. I was so happy for leftovers!! Thank you for this recipe and for the suggestion of turning up the heat for the last 10 to 15 minutes. It looked exactly like the picture!
This was dinner tonight and was fantastic! I've never cooked with Sumac but now I have a little baggie of it in my pantry to inspire me to find more recipes that call for it! The spices were subtle but delicious - my "I hate veggies" husband loved it (I made sure to throw in the onions while he was absent and they went undetected). I will absolutely make this again! Thanks, RunawaySpoon!
This was fantastic. I made everything but the cheese sauce on Sunday, popped it in the fridge, and when I came home from work on Monday, I whipped up the sauce and popped it in the oven. Made for a delicious and easy Monday night dinner (and lunch today)!
Great dish. My husband loves baked ziti, and when I made this he went crazy for the new twist of Greek flavors (compared to the traditional Italian). He said I could "make it for him any time." :)
Finally made this -- superb! I acquired sumac, had mint; I don't know that I can identify either flavor, but it does have a note in there that my traditional lamb ragu I used for moussaka doesn't have. I forgot the feta, so I sprinkled it over each serving, and that worked just fine. Good, good stuff!
Congratulations! I brought a recipe almost exactly like this back from Kefalonia, Greece a couple of months ago. My spices are thyme and oregano and nutmeg, but the rest of the ingredients are the same. I didn't know the name...just called it lamb and pasta casserole.
I cooked this when it was first posted and it was delicious. Congratulations!!! Time to cook it again, especially with these cold and snowy NYC days.
You're on a roll. Congratulations Runaway spoon
Oh man, this looks wonderful! Perfect for the cold snowy weather we're having. Can't wait to try it. Congrats!
WooHoo! I can't wait to make this. Congratulations!
Congratulations! I've been wanting to try this, it looks great!
This sounds absolutely amazing! Congrats!
Hey, what a surprise on the WIldcard win! Thanks for all the congratulations!
Congratulations! Wow...I was just looking at a recipe for this in an old cookbook I am thrilled your recipe will be in Food52's book 2!
Simply Gorgeous!!! Congrats! :)
Congrats on your Wildcard win! This has been on my "must try" list since last year, and I think it's high time to get on it!
'Grats on the Wildcard! I'm thinking I have to try this, and soon -- was thinking about lasagna over the weekend, but this may edge it out. What flavor does sumac add? I've never cooked with it, although a shop nearby has it available. And are it and the mint a "couple"? -- i.e., if I omit one, should I omit the other?
Sumac lends a lovely bright tang, and a real meditteranean feel, but I mark it as optional because I know it can be hard to come by, though Penzey's sells it. You'll fin lots of uses for it - sprinkled on hummus being the first, though it will add to any middle eastern dish. And don't leave out the mint if you don't have sumac, more flavor the better!
Yay! This is such an iconic food52 dish, and so delicious. So happy to see it take the wild card slot this week.
This sounded a little involved but worked up really well without a huge production (absent the sumac). I made one for dinner that night and froze the other half, as suggested. It served a crowd, even halved, including adults and little kids. All loved it on a cold winter night!
Wow! What a wonderful "do-ahead" dish for a winter evening. Everyone loved it....and the (very few leftover) were terrific.
this looks so yummy, i can't wait to try it!
I'd like to vote for both pasta dishes. They both sound amazing. I voted for this one because it's a little different. If I hadn't just finished dinner, I would cook this tonight. Thanks!!
Tough call, but I had to go with this one, partly because I can't get my head around the concept that crepes=pasta in that gorgeous manicotti recipe (which made me drool) but because I, too, think lamb ragu is to die for.
This is really, really good and everyone in the family raved!!! Might become one of our staples. I want to make extra so I can give some away too.
made this for dinner tonight, it was sooo good, even my five year old loved it.
I want this now, thank you. Great recipe.
Love it. I grew up eating my yiayia's (grandma's) pastitsio, and I'm thrilled to see this in the finals. You got my vote for sure. Good luck and "yiasou!"
I think lamb ragu has such a rich flavor. This looks delicious.
My husband used to live in Astoria, Queens and ate this dish often (big Greek community). I will have to surprise him with this one night soon.
Andrew is an artisan chocolatier and the owner of Garrison Confections Gourmet Chocolate Shop.
photo 1 of 21
Milk, onion, red wine, ground lamb, tomato paste, grated Parmesan, feta, oregano, mint, sumac, cinnamon, butter and penne.
photo 2 of 21
The lamb coloring in a Dutch oven. Keep the heat fairly high so it browns.
photo 3 of 21
photo 4 of 21
Butter, you know how to brighten up a pan.
photo 5 of 21
After cooking the lamb and onions, TheRunawaySpoon has you strain the liquid (mostly fat) in the pot...
photo 6 of 21
... then scrape the meat back in the pot before adding the wine.
photo 7 of 21
Merrill gracefully -- but aggressively! -- salting the pasta water.
photo 8 of 21
Merrill shows off her shortcut for sifting flour -- just stick a whisk in the container and swish it around a half dozen times.
photo 9 of 21
Milk and butter await to make their entry in the bechamel ...
photo 10 of 21
... while the butter and flour fuse in the pan.
photo 11 of 21
Amanda stirs the tomato paste and herbs into lamb. Merrill whisks the milk into the bechamel. And there's an awful lot of cooking (and dish making) going on at that stove.
photo 12 of 21
The lamb sauce -- you can see how concentrated and flecked with herbs it is.
photo 13 of 21
Don't you want to dive in here?
photo 14 of 21
Cayenne leaves its fiery trail.
photo 15 of 21
We combine the sauce with the pasta.
photo 16 of 21
Then fold in a little feta.
photo 17 of 21
Then we chat a little -- that or Amanda is singing a show tune to Merrill.
photo 18 of 21
Get back in there, noodle!
photo 19 of 21
A blanket of creamy bechamel.
photo 20 of 21
Had to include another shot. Mmm-mmm!
photo 21 of 21
I made another version of this for the first time a few weeks ago, from the Martha Stewart Living New Classics cookbook. It was fantastic, but this version looks even better because of the Sumac and dried mint. I'll be trying this version next!