Last weekend I had a private cooking class with a Greek menu. Among other dishes, we made this traditional Greek pasta bake (pastitisio), which everybody loved. I made it again this week, this time for my family; since it makes enough to feed a crowd, we also shared it with friends.
Pastitsio is a beloved dish from my childhood. Growing up in a Greek household, my mom prepared it often for our Sunday dinner and for when we had company. Now, my children ask me to make this dish all the time! You can think of it as the Greek equivalent of the well-known Italian lasagna, with similar components but a completely different flavor profile.
The pasta that is typically used for this dish is long and thick with a hole in the middle, and provides the structure and foundation of the dish. Bucatini is the closest pasta option, but penne makes a good substitute. The braised meat sauce is flavored with aromatics and warm spices– cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice– that give it an incredible depth of flavor. The final component of the dish is a soft béchamel sauce that covers the pasta and meat sauce, and is enriched with eggs and a sprinkle of grated cheese.
When this dish comes out of the oven, golden and bubbly, all the wonderful flavors come together and the whole kitchen smells amazing. It is always hard to have to wait for it to cool down a bit before digging in.
There is nothing difficult about making pastitsio, but it does take some time to prepare each component. I often make the meat sauce ahead of time. You could even assemble the whole dish a day in advance, store it in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake it the next day.
Plan on making this delicious dish some time soon– all your family and friends will thank you for it!
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 med. onions, finely chopped
- 1½ lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 lrg. garlic clove, minced
- 3 cups crushed plum tomatoes
- 1 med. cinnamon stick
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¼ pinch ground allspice
- 2 med. bay leaves
- 1½ tsp. salt
- ¾ tsp. pepper
- 1 lb. thick, tubular pasta (like bucatini, or penne)
- 4 oz. Kefalotiri (or Parmesan cheese), grated
- 4 cups béchamel sauce (recipe follows)
- 2 lrg. eggs, beaten
- In a large, deep skillet, or medium saucepan, heat 2 TBSP. of extra-virgin olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ground meat and continue stirring until the meat begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Next add the tomatoes, spices, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 35-40 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the meat sauce is thickened (add some water if necessary). Remove the skillet from the heat, and let the meat cool slightly. Remove the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves.
- While the meat is simmering, make the béchamel sauce (recipe follows). When done, cool slightly and whisk in the eggs.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Lightly oil a large, deep 14x10 ceramic or glass baking dish and set aside.
- Boil the pasta a few minutes before the “al dente” stage. Remove and drain. Toss with a little extra-virgin olive oil, half of the grated cheese and a little of the béchamel.
- Spread the pasta on the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the meat sauce over the pasta and spread it evenly. Sprinkle with 2 TBSP. of grated cheese. Pour the béchamel over the meat sauce, making sure it is evenly spread over the top of the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.
- Bake it for about 30-45 minutes, or until the béchamel thickens and swells and a golden brown crust forms on top.
- 8 TBSP. butter
- 8 TBSP. flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 3 cups whole (or 2%) milk, warm
- --- pinch pepper
- --- pinch nutmeg
- 2 lrg. eggs, lightly beaten (optional)
- Set a heavy saucepan over low-medium heat. Using a balloon whisk, melt the butter until foaming. Add the flour and whisk for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and golden, to cook off the raw flour taste. Do not allow the butter to brown.
- Slowly whisk in the hot milk, a little at a time. Stir until thickened, about 15 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary. Stir in the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Remove from the heat, and let cool slightly. Then, whisk in the beaten eggs.
- Use the béchamel right away, or, cool completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to three days. (Reheat gently before using it again.)
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[…] of this delicious sauce can be used for another, equally popular Greek dish: Pastitsio (baked Greek […]