Description
Classic Greek Pastitsio is a comforting layered pasta casserole featuring bucatini pasta, a rich and aromatic ground beef tomato sauce infused with warming spices, and a creamy béchamel sauce topped with melted cheese. This hearty dish is baked until golden and bubbling, making it a perfect family meal or special occasion dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Béchamel Sauce
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 ½ cups 2% milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
Pasta Layer
- 1 pound bucatini pasta (or other long tubular pasta)
- ½ cup grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
- 2 egg whites
Topping
- 1 cup grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
Instructions
- Brown Meat: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped red onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent.
- Deglaze Pan: Pour in dry red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to release browned bits and enhance flavor.
- Add Spices and Tomatoes: Stir in bay leaves, dried oregano, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, cinnamon stick, ground allspice, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer Sauce: Cover the skillet and let the sauce simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Remove Whole Spices: Take out the bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the sauce before using further.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bucatini pasta until al dente, then drain well and set aside to cool slightly.
- Make Béchamel Roux: In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to form a smooth roux but without browning.
- Add Milk and Season: Gradually whisk in the milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently until it thickens into a creamy sauce.
- Add Cheese to Béchamel: Remove the béchamel from heat and stir in ¾ cup of grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
- Temper Eggs: In a small bowl, whisk the 2 large eggs and 2 egg yolks. Slowly add a few spoonfuls of the warm béchamel to the eggs to temper them, then whisk the egg mixture back into the béchamel sauce thoroughly.
- Prepare Oven and Dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with about 3-inch depth.
- Mix Pasta Layer: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with ½ cup of meat sauce, the 2 egg whites, and ½ cup grated cheese. Toss to mix evenly.
- Assemble Layers: Spread the pasta mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon and spread the remaining meat sauce over the pasta layer. Pour the béchamel sauce over the meat sauce, spreading it evenly.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of grated cheese evenly over the béchamel layer.
- Bake: Place the dish into the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is set.
- Rest: Remove the pastitsio from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This helps it firm up and makes serving easier.
- Serve: Slice into squares and serve warm as a delicious and hearty main course.
Notes
- Using Kefalotyri cheese offers authentic Greek flavor, but Parmesan can be a suitable substitute.
- Make sure to temper the eggs with béchamel before adding to the sauce to avoid curdling.
- Allowing the pastitsio to rest after baking helps it set and makes slicing neater.
- You can prepare the meat sauce and béchamel in advance to save time on the day of serving.
- For a richer béchamel, whole milk can be used instead of 2% milk.
- Ground cloves and allspice add warmth and complexity to the meat sauce; don’t skip these spices for an authentic taste.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
