Pastitsio

Patricio? No. Pastitsio. While I still plan to finish up reporting on the trip to Napa before the year ends, I figured I'd report on something similar in caliber. Pastitsio is commonly referred to the Greek version of lasagna. I made it for my work potluck today and it turned out deliciously. Here's the tried and true recipe of Ina Garten's that I used. I suggest you try it out sometime.

The recipe calls for ground lamb and ground beef that you cook with onion, garlic, red wine, cinnamon, thyme, oregano and cayenne pepper. The meat sauce is simmered for almost an hour before adding it to some baby shells. Then the best part? The bechamel topping made with oodles of freshly grated parmesan cheese. It's then baked with more fresh cheese on top. Definitely not waistline friendly, but it's definitely a mood lifter.