I often get asked about what kind of food I cook at home. The truth is, I love so many different kinds of food from so many different places, and I often like to recreate them in my own kitchen. I do have a tendency to get on food jags, where I really get into a few dishes that become my “new favourites.”

In order to document my fave dishes, and to remember all the different dishes I have experiemented with and loved, I thought it would be a good idea to write a weekly post about something I cooked and ate during the past week. (Not exactly Julie and Julia - you know that book about the woman who cooked her way through every recipe in Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1.” I just can’t get that enthusiastic about beef gelatin and sweetbreads.) But just think of it as my own version - kinder and gentler, with no organ meat.

This is a recipe I adapted from “Canadian Living’s Best Pasta.” I love the whole series of “Canadian Living” cookbooks. Pictures - a must, easy and delicious recipes, some International flavours without too many specialty grocery items. This is a recipe for pastitsio - essentially a baked pasta dish. I like it because it contains pasta, but not too much, and the cinnamon and nutmeg give it a Mediterranean flavour. I use whole wheat pasta for the extra fibre and flavour.

Pastitsio Pie

1 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 and 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 tsp each dried oregano, cinnamon and salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 can crushed tomatoes or stewed tomatoes, pureed (14 oz)

1 can tomato paste (5 and 1/2 oz)

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 cups dry pasta (whole wheat macaroni, whole wheat rotini, etc.)

2 tbsp dry bread crumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Sauce:

2 tbsp butter or non-hydrogenated margarine like Becel

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup cottage cheese (1 or 2%)

1 egg

pinch each nutmeg, salt, pepper

1. In nonstick skillet, melt half of the butter or margarine over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in beef, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 7 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and vinegar; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to directions on package, until tender but firm. Drain and refresh under cold water; drain again and set aside.

3. Sauce: In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes, without browning. Gradually whisk in milk and cook, whisking, for about 5 minutes or until thickened; remove from heat. Stir in cottage cheese, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

4. Grease 10-inch deep pie plate with remaining butter; sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spoon in half of the macaroni. Spread meat mixture evenly over top, pressing down lightly; sprinkle with one-third of the Parmesan.

5. Spoon remaining macaroni over top; carefully pour sauce over macaroni.

6. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Bake on baking sheet in 350 degree F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden. Makes 6 servings.

Both my kids will eat this dish (even with visible green stuff). We had it with salad and whole wheat French garlic bread. The kids don’t eat salad so one had carrot sticks and the other had apple slices. Delicious and makes excellent leftovers.