Cooking the pasta in the sauce gives it a whole new flavor profile. The pasta used in this dish is a thinner version of the one used for pastitsio (with a hole in the middle). This opening allows the sauce to sneak in, giving you a burst of flavor with every bite.
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig fresh basil
1 spring fresh thyme
3 cups ground venison*
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp lemon pepper
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
4 tbsp butter
3 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup no. 5 pasta (250g)
Grated Kefalogaviera cheese
Heat the cooking pot for a few minutes and then add the oil. Add the onion, garlic, basil and thyme to the heated oil and cook until the onion is translucent (approximately 3 minutes). Add the venison and spices and cook the meat through completely. Dilute the tomato paste in the stock and add to the cooked meat. Simmer the sauce until completely reduced and thickened. Once thickened, add the butter and melt into the sauce.
In a separate pot, heat the water and add the pasta. Cook for 8 minutes and then add the reduced meat sauce to the water, cooking until the sauce thickens (approximately 30 minutes).
Add cheese when serving.
Makes 3 to 4 servings. (* Substitute with ground beef if no venison available.)
Patataki 