Pastitsada () is a Greek dish of meat braised in a spicy tomato-based sauce and served over pasta. Often associated with the island of Corfu, where it is a traditional Sunday dinner, it is sometimes called pastitsada Korfiatiki.Vilma Chantiles, Food of Greece: Cooking, Folkways, and Travel in the Mainland and Islands of Greece (Simon & Schuster, 1992), p. 143.
Pastitsada is based on veal, beef or poultry cooked in fresh or canned tomatoes, olive oil, minced onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, white wine, vinegar, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, butter and served over pasta. It is usually topped with grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese.Greek Islands (Lonely Planet, 2010), 6th ed., p. 60. The dish shows Italian influence.
The name comes from the Venetian (standard Italian ) lit. 'something messed up',Peter Minaki, "Pastitsada With Rooster", Kalofagas.ca which is used for a large variety of Italian braised meat dishes, generally served with polenta, mashed potatoes, or pasta.Waverly Root, The Food of Italy, 1971, , p. 441Touring Club Italiano, Guida Gastronomica d'Italia, Milano 1931 (reprinted 1956), p. 297
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