Recipe: Veganized Skillet Pastitsio

Happy Monday! Weeknights call out for either leftovers or something really simple for dinner. Here's a pretty quick one to whip up that also happens to be delicious: Skillet Pastitsio.

I in no way claim authenticity here any more than skillet lasagna is authentic lasagna. But when one has time for skillet lasagna and not the real thing, why not? It's the same principle here, while it is something creamy and delicious and spiced in a lovely way that will be quite distinct from an Italian-inspired pasta dish. It doesn't have the béchamel of a real pastitsio, but maybe when you taste this you might be interested in going to the trouble of making the casserole version, layered with the ground "meat," tomato sauce, pasta, béchamel, and cheese.

I used to think I loved this dish because of the lamb in it, but after I had veganized it, I found that it was really all the flavors from the seasonings I loved--and I can replicate that without any lamb. I originally found this in America's Test Kitchen Cooking for Two 2010, but their recipe not only has lamb, but chicken broth and plenty of dairy (cream and cheese). This is my vegan version. The flavor is still as I remember it, but it is a bit lighter, even with all the cream, so I can eat more of it than I would have eaten of the omnivore version, long ago. I hope you'll enjoy this Greek-inspired meal as much as I do, if you make it!

Veganized Skillet Pastitsio
Serves: About 2-3

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 teaspoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon No Chicken Stock concentrate, or equivalent amount of another chicken-style veggie bouillon to make 2 1/2 cups of stock or broth
1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy creamer, divided (I used So Delicious Creamer)
Salt
Pepper
1 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
1/2 cup TVP
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 cup grated vegan Parmesan cheese (I used Violife, grated with a microplane grater) 

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2. In an oven-safe 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and oregano and briefly stir, cooking, until fragrant.

3. Mix in the water, bouillon, and 1/4 cup of the creamer, and a dash of salt and pepper, then add TVP and macaroni and stir well. Ensure the macaroni is submerged. Raise heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the noodles are cooked, about 10-12 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, mix the remaining 1/4 cup creamer and teaspoon of cornstarch well. When the noodles are cooked, add this mixture to the skillet and stir, cooking until thickened a bit. (This doesn't take long.) Turn off heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

5. Smooth the pasta out in the skillet and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake until bubbly and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Garnish with a bit of parsley if you like. Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.