The Bread of Peasants You Can't Afford; Lamb and Butternut 'Pastitsio'

So reliable was the potato as human sustenance, its crop harvests determined the security of national economies and rapid swells and contractions of whole societies hinged on its production. The potato grew heartily enough in small family plots to support self-sufficient homesteads featuring well in cucina povera, the make-do-with-what-you-have dishes that quieted the hunger pangs of the poor. The industrial revolution was spawned on the flourishing of these tubers, and the migration of its blight from the Americas across the sea devastated the entire Irish population.

Rodger Cantwell fortunate to have survived the Great Potato Famine recounted:

It had been raining a lot, even more than usual for Ireland. In October 1845, almost overnight, a dense blue fog settled over our puddled potato fields. An odor of decay permeated the air. When the wind and rain died away, there was a terrible stillness. The potato crop was ruined, destroyed we learned later by the fungus Phytophthora infestans.

ver especially the next 2 years, life was miserable. We were always hungry and lost weight.

Cantwell JD. A great-grandfather's account of the Irish potato famine (1845-1850). 2017 Jul;30(3):382-383. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2017.11929657.

Last post, I traced the domestication of winter squash from the Andean valleys and its dispersion throughout Europe and Asia as it became embraced by most every global cuisine. On grocery shelves in the US and UK, these gourds are overshadowed by the pervasive potato, humble, approachable, and stocked in more diverse varieties- Burbank, russet, red, Yukon gold, fingerling, and yams- than most vegetables available in markets. The fourth most important crop after rice, and feed crops, wheat and corn, national research programs have invested heavily to engineer the spuds for optimal breeding and extended storage life.

The potato has its merits as a source of human fuel. In Asia and Africa, it has been relied on to counter food insecurity and sustain peoples through famine. A single potato provides 50% of the recommended allowance of vitamin C and contributes a good way toward daily fiber and potassium needs. One can derive a modest amount of protein from a medium-sized potato, depending on variety, respectable compared with 6 grams from an egg or 9-10 gm from a quarter block of tofu, both which require significantly greater investment to produce.

Today in the United States, the rising demand from the fast food and snack industries drives potato production, and agricultural research is dominated by genome technologies evolving from improvements targeting potato blight resistance and yield the way the JFK’s ‘Moon Shot’ Space Program spawned cell technology and other advances . The adoption of the french fry globally as a most popularly consumed food has helped along 70-80% growth in exports for China, India, and Russia, the world’s largest producers.

I propose to you that the potato is problematic. It may have historically nourished subsistence farmers and staved off African famine, but, in modern times, a long look ahead as well as one retrospective may give up a truth. One aligned with John Reader’s observation as he researched the history of the tuber in his scoping analysis, “Potato: A History of the Propitious Esculent” :

While the potato is good at keeping people alive, it does not lift many of them out of poverty.

In this case, we might be speaking of impoverished diet and the repercussions of this cheap source of some nutrients to health. Potatoes rank along bread, sugar, breakfast cereals, and sugar-sweetened beverages as among the highest contributors to high glycemic load in American diets, pumping rapidly absorbed carbohydrates into the bloodstream. After digestion, they cause a rapid rise or ‘spike’ in glucose and insulin. Glycemic load (GL) is defined as the product of glycemic index of a specific food, how quickly a food raises blood glucose, and its carbohydrate content per serving, representing both the quality and quantity of carbohydrate in a food. Lower glycemic load diets, typically those high in vegetables, fruit, and fiber, are associated with lower risk of chronic diseases- it’s aimple- particularly lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In contrast, high-glycemic index and glycemic load diets, rich in refined flours, ultra-processed foods, and starches, appear to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes as well as gestational diabetes, heart disease, and certain type of cancers. Daily potato consumption itself links strongly to increased weight gain and risk of type 2 diabetes along with high blood pressure.

Those battling mid-life weight gain may wish to take note that those who swap starchy vegetables for whole grains like brown rice, barley, and quinoa tend to gain less over time. The Planetary Diet put forth by the EAT-Lancet Commission, a coalition of nutrition scientists and climate stakeholders balancing the needs of human health and sustainable food systems, recommends starchy vegetables (namely, potatoes, cassava, corn, and peas) be limited to no more than three servings weekly at a limit of 100 grams per day. To give a sense of how modest a serving is required, the average weight of half of a russet potato and a serving of 15-20 french fries is usually around 100 grams.

The variety of potato affects the glycemic response with waxier cultivars like fingerling and red potatoes less rapidly affecting the absorption as sugar into the bloodstream. A Dutch very low glycemic index cultivar known as the Carisma (GI=53) has become available in the United States. Compared to the russet and Idaho (GI=77-111), favored for its creamy texture by restaurants for french fry production, the Carisma has nearly half the impact.

Impact on blood sugar of potato varieties and alternatives Glycemic Index=GI, less than 55, Glycemic Load=GL less than 10 considered Low

Potatoes moderated a few times a week can be part of a healthy diet, but take note of other starchy vegetables that can be incorporated into soups, stews, and casserole-type dishes with the same versatility as the potato. Turnips, rutabagas, winter squash varieties, and pumpkins tend to have considerably lower glycemic impact (Glycemic Load less than 10) than their potato counterparts. Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and squash are best choices because they are chocked with carotenoids and have less carbohydrate makeup due to higher moisture content (why turnips have a much higher GI cooked than when eaten in salads raw.) The University of Sydney, where much of the seminal work on glycemic response to food was fostered under Australian nutrition researcher Jennie Brand-Miller, takes the position of prioritizing certain starchy vegetables over others:

That’s why we classify these healthy vegetables like winter squash and swedes etc. as ‘everyday caution with portion foods’ as we want people to eat plenty of vegetables (at least five servings a day) on a low GI diet. It’s only the starchy, carb-rich potato with a high GI that we suggest people cut back on.

Little Squash Dumplings in Vegetable Barley Soup

I find that winter squash has many uses well beyond its usual employment as a vehicle for glazing with maple syrup or butter in the oven (which simply drive up its caloric impact.) I always have cubes roasted in olive oil and frozen in batches on hand to add to a mushroom miso ramen with shiitake and bok choy or vegetable and barley soups. Substituting butternut for potato makes glorious gnocchi rich in color to sauté with fresh sage leaves and a little browned butter. I’ve mixed mashed squash with my version of a lightened up version of béchamel (my recipe below) to create a satisfying Lamb and Butternut Greek ‘Pastitsio’ that was lapped up by my family with requests for more.

So, after all the holiday hubbub, when you’ll be hoping for easy meals, one-dish casseroles and stews that can be made on a weekend and popped in the freezer, I leave you with one that will nourish you as you rest up for a New Year and make plans ahead.

Lamb and Butternut ‘Pastitsio’

4-6 servings

1 pound ground lamb

1 3-4 lb. butternut or Kabocha squash

12 ounces elbow macaroni (may substitute ziti)

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

4 medium plum tomatoes, cored, deseeded, and chopped

6 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

2 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced

3/4 cup vegetable, beef, or chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Light Béchamel Sauce

1-1/2 cups 2% milk

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg, beaten

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Set the whole squash in a large baking dish filled with 2 inches of water. Microwave on high 8-12 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove the skin and stem and cut into 2 inch cubes. Toss the cubes in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and spread on a rimmed baking tray, well spaced. Roast in the oven 25 minutes or until fork tender and easily pierced. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F.

Set a deep skillet on the stove and heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke over medium heat, add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, about 8-12 minutes until golden and caramelized. Mix together cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and Aleppo pepper in a small bowl. Create a well in the center of the onions, pushing them to the edges of the skillet. Add the spices and toast for about 30 seconds until aromatic, and then add the garlic, stirring together with the spices and the onions until combined well.

Add the lamb, chopped tomatoes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and black pepper. Sauté, breaking up clumps, 8 minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Remove about a Tablespoon of excess fat, leaving some residual. I use a clean, absorbent paper towel to soak up excess grease. Continue to cook until the lamb is browned and the tomatoes have broken down, oozing their juices. Add the broth, cover tightly, and continue to simmer 20 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

While the meat is cooking, set a large pot of water to boil and cook the macaroni al dente 7 minutes (8 minutes, if ziti.) Drain and remove the pasta immediately to a large bowl and toss the pasta in 1 Tablespoon olive oil.

To make the béchamel, create a roux by melting 2 Tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add 2 Tablespoons of flour, a small amount at a time, stirring continuously to break up lumps until it forms a thick slurry. Add 1 1/2 cups milk and warm over very low heat. Add the nutmeg and egg, stirring continuously, taking care to keep heat low as the egg is incorporated. Continue to heat 8-10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to continue to thicken further as it cools.

To assemble the pastitsio:

Grease a 9 inch deep baking dish with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.

Add half of the lamb mixture and 1/2 cup of the béchamel to the pasta and toss to combine. Layer the pasta mixture into the dish and press down with the back of a spoon to level,

Add the rest of the lamb mixture as the next layer, spreading the mixture to the edges of the dish.

Finally, place the cubed squash in a bowl and mash with a potato masher into a thick puree. Add 3/4 cup of the béchamel sauce to the puree and stir to blend well. Layer the squash mixture over the meat layer, again using the back of a spoon to spread the squash layer to the dish edges.

Bake 35 minutes in the oven, uncovered, until bubbly and the edges begin to brown. Allow to rest 10 minutes and serve immediately.