Serves 4 adults or 2 adults and 4 pre-school children

Pastitsio recipe

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Takes 45 minutes to make and 25 minutes to bake

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g lamb mince
1/2 aubergine, chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or oregano leaves
2 bay leaves
150ml hot vegetable stock
350g dried macaroni
15g butter, softened
15g plain flour
300ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
50g Cheddar cheese, grated

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1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic and fry over a medium heat for 3 minutes, until softened. Turn the heat to high, add the mince and aubergine and fry for 4 minutes to brown all over. Add the purée, tomatoes, herbs and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes until the lamb is tender. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4.
2. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in boiling water according to the packet instructions, then drain and set aside.
3. Make the white sauce. Put the butter, flour and milk into a large jug and whisk. Microwave on high (900W) for 4 minutes, stirring twice until the sauce has boiled and thickened.
4. Pour half the macaroni into the base of a 2-litre ovenproof dish, spoon over the meat mixture and top with the rest of the macaroni, or do the same in individual ovenproof dishes. Add the egg to the white sauce, whisk, and pour over the pasta. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake individual pastitsios for 15 minutes or the larger one for 25 minutes, until golden. Serve with a green salad.

Nutritional info

Per serving (based on 4): 766kcals, 31.5g fat (14.4g saturated), 44.7g protein, 80.7g carbs, 11.4g sugar, 0.9g salt

Chef's tip

Leftovers freeze very well. Microwave each portion from frozen on high (900W) for 3 minutes to reheat. Check it’s piping hot before serving. You could also use the mince base for shepherd’s pie – just leave out the tomato purée and add a dash of Worcestershire sauce instead. Boil 500g each of potatoes and parsnips, mash together with a splash of milk and knob of butter, and spread over the mince. Brown in a medium-hot oven for about 25 minutes.

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