Description
This Pastitsio recipe is a delicious and authentic Greek baked pasta dish. Layers of bucatini pasta, a rich meat sauce with aromatic spices, and a creamy béchamel sauce come together in this comforting and flavorful casserole.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Meat Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For the Béchamel Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 cups 2% milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
For the Pasta:
- 1 pound bucatini pasta (or other long tubular pasta)
- 1/2 cup grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
- 2 egg whites
For Topping:
- 1 cup grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
Instructions
Make Meat Sauce:
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- Brown ground beef in olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add onion and garlic; cook until softened.
- Deglaze with red wine.
- Add spices, bay leaves, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, and sugar.
- Simmer covered for 45 minutes, or until thickened.
- Remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
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Cook Pasta: Cook pasta until al dente, drain, and let cool.
Make Béchamel Sauce:
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- Melt butter in a saucepan.
- Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in ¾ cup of cheese.
- Temper eggs with a few spoonfuls of béchamel, then whisk the egg mixture into the sauce.
Assemble Pastitsio:
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- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch, 3-inch deep baking dish.
- Toss cooked pasta with ½ cup meat sauce, egg whites, and ½ cup cheese.
- Layer pasta mixture, remaining meat sauce, and béchamel sauce in the prepared dish.
- Top with remaining cheese.
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Bake: Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and set.
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Rest and Serve: Let rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef to avoid a greasy final dish.
- Cheese: Substitute Kefalotyri cheese with Parmesan cheese if needed.
- Béchamel: Thicken the sauce with a slurry of flour and milk if necessary.
- Baking Dish: Use a deep baking dish to accommodate all the layers.
- Resting: Allow the pastitsio to rest before slicing to ensure it sets properly.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3-4 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 450kcal
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
