Authentic Venezuelan Pasticho (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Meat Sauce
01 -
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) olive oil
02 -
1 medium onion, diced after peeling
03 -
4 minced garlic cloves, peeled beforehand
04 -
450 grams of ground beef
05 -
1/2 teaspoon of fine salt
06 -
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
07 -
35 grams (2 tablespoons) tomato paste
08 -
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) soy sauce
09 -
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
10 -
120 milliliters of beef stock or red wine
11 -
1 can (794 grams) of whole, peeled tomatoes
12 -
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
13 -
1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
14 -
1 bay leaf
15 -
9 grams finely chopped fresh basil, plus extra for topping
→ Bechamel Sauce
16 -
113 grams of unsalted butter
17 -
63 grams of plain flour
18 -
1 liter of milk
19 -
1/2 teaspoon of fine salt
20 -
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
21 -
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, freshly grated
→ Assembly
22 -
450 grams dry lasagna sheets
23 -
340 grams of ham, sliced thinly
24 -
340 grams shredded mozzarella cheese (low moisture)
25 -
113 grams fresh Parmesan, grated
# Instructions:
01 -
In a big saucepan, warm up the olive oil on medium. Toss in the onion and cook until it softens. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until it smells good.
02 -
Drop the ground beef into the pan, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Let it brown fully, then sprinkle in some salt and pepper.
03 -
Mix in the tomato paste, ensuring it coats the beef evenly. Stir in the Worcestershire and soy sauces until everything combines.
04 -
Pour the wine or stock into the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom to mix into the liquid. Cook down until it thickens slightly.
05 -
Add the whole tomatoes, oregano, sugar, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat low. Let it gently simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the tomatoes break down. Pull the bay leaf out at the end.
06 -
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low to medium heat. Stir in flour gradually to create a golden-bubbly mixture, also known as a roux.
07 -
Slowly whisk the milk into the roux, stirring nonstop until the sauce gets thick enough to cover the back of a spoon. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper before turning off the heat.
08 -
Set your oven to 190°C. Grease a 23×33 cm deep baking dish lightly with butter. If needed, boil heavily salted water and cook lasagna noodles until just underdone, then drain.
09 -
Coat the base of your baking dish with a thin spread of béchamel. Lay out a layer of noodles, then add half your meat sauce. Lay the ham in a single layer on top.
10 -
Next, pour a layer of béchamel over it, sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Then, lay more noodles, the rest of the meat sauce, more ham, another layer of béchamel, and the next third of the cheeses.
11 -
Add a final pasta layer, cover with the remaining béchamel, and scatter the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
12 -
Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 30 minutes. Then take off the foil and let it bake for 15 to 20 more minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
13 -
Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it. Sprinkle with fresh basil as a garnish if you'd like.
# Notes:
01 -
This dish, called Pasticho, is a Venezuelan spin on lasagna with layers of béchamel and ham making it unique.
02 -
Letting the meat sauce simmer slowly helps bring out deeper, richer flavors.
03 -
You can assemble everything a day in advance, refrigerate, and then bake when ready.