Greek Pastitsio Baked Pasta (Printable Version)
Layers of seasoned beef, pasta, and creamy béchamel create a hearty Greek classic.
# Ingredients Required:
→ Meat Sauce
01 -
45 ml olive oil
02 -
1 onion, chopped
03 -
900 g lean ground beef
04 -
120 ml dry red wine
05 -
4 cloves garlic, minced
06 -
0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
07 -
1 tsp dried oregano
08 -
3 sprigs fresh thyme
09 -
Pinch of cayenne pepper
10 -
1 can (794 g) crushed tomatoes
11 -
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Béchamel Sauce
12 -
600 ml half and half
13 -
57 g unsalted butter
14 -
30 g all-purpose flour
15 -
0.25 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
16 -
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 -
150 g freshly grated Parmesan or Kasseri cheese
18 -
2 large eggs, beaten
19 -
160 g plain Greek yogurt
→ Pasta
20 -
340 g bucatini or small pasta such as penne or ziti
# Guide to Cooking:
01 -
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté chopped onion until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Pour in red wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne pepper; cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper, and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
02 -
Set oven temperature to 175°C.
03 -
Warm half and half in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes while constantly whisking. Gradually add warm half and half to butter-flour mixture, whisking continuously. Continue cooking and stirring frequently until thickened, approximately 5-6 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Stir in ¾ of the Parmesan cheese and about half of the meat sauce. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Quickly whisk in beaten eggs and fold in Greek yogurt. Set aside.
04 -
Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente to avoid overcooking during baking. Drain thoroughly.
05 -
Combine cooked pasta with remaining meat sauce and transfer into a 24 x 33 cm baking dish. Evenly spread béchamel sauce over the pasta mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
06 -
Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 -
Avoid overcooking pasta to ensure it holds its texture after baking.