Perfect Pastitsio (Vegetarian)

• Meat Substitute Mixture
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 (14 ounce) packages vegetarian ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, canned
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Pasta or Cheese mixture
• 1 lb ziti pasta or 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 5 cups milk
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup freshly grated kefalotiri (separated) or 1 cup parmesan cheese (separated)
• 3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
2. In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 7 minutes.
3. Add beef substitute, chopping into small bits. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Add tomato sauce, red wine and spice, stirring to mix.
5. Simmer, uncovered, until the excess moisture has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
7. In large saucepan, bring milk to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium.
8. Dissolve the cornstarch in water, then add to milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
9. Cook, whisking, until mixture has returned to a boil and is thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese.
10. In separate bowl, beat eggs until light and very frothy. Add to cheese sauce in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste and combine with cooked pasta in a large bowl.
11. Lightly oil an 11x15x2 inch casserole dish. Spoon in half the pasta/cheese mixture. Top with meat substitute mixture, then with remaining pasta/cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
12. Bake until casserole is golden brown and bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

olive oil, onion, vegetarian ground beef, tomato sauce, dry red wine, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, pasta, pasta, milk, cornstarch, water, freshly grated kefalotiri, eggs

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/perfect-pastitsio-vegetarian-135785 (may not work)