Description
Authentic Greek Pastitsio is a classic baked pasta casserole featuring layers of rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and tender pasta. This traditional dish combines ground beef simmered with aromatic herbs and spices, topped with a luscious cheese-infused béchamel sauce, then baked to golden perfection, making it a hearty and comforting meal ideal for family gatherings or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 cup red wine
- 28 oz. can crushed tomato
- 1 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 bay leaves
- Kosher salt, to taste
Béchamel Sauce
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups grated Kefalotyri or Pecorino cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- Kosher salt, to taste
Pasta
- 1 lb. long ziti, pastitsio pasta, or penne pasta
- 2 egg whites
- 7 oz. feta cheese
Instructions
- Cook the meat sauce: Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly golden. Add ground beef, breaking it up evenly and cooking until browned. Season with kosher salt.
- Deglaze and simmer: Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, letting it reduce by half. Add crushed tomato, fresh parsley, white pepper, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and additional salt to taste. Simmer the sauce gently for 45 to 60 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves.
- Cook the pasta: Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and transfer to a 9×13 casserole pan with handles. While pasta is hot, mix in egg whites and crumbled feta cheese thoroughly to coat the pasta.
- Prepare the béchamel: In a pot over low heat, melt unsalted butter. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a roux. Gradually whisk in whole milk and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Stir in grated Kefalotyri or Pecorino cheese until melted and smooth. Remove from heat, whisk in egg yolks, and season with kosher salt to taste.
- Assemble the pastitsio: Pour the meat sauce evenly over the pasta layer in the casserole dish, spreading with a spatula. Carefully pour the béchamel sauce over the top until it reaches the brim of the dish.
- Bake the dish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). Bake the assembled pastitsio for 30 minutes or until the béchamel topping is golden brown and set.
- Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before cutting into portions and serving.
Notes
- Use Kefalotyri cheese for an authentic flavor, but Pecorino Romano is a great substitute.
- The red wine adds depth to the meat sauce; you can use dry white wine if preferred.
- Simmering the meat sauce low and slow enhances the flavor and texture.
- Letting the pastitsio cool before serving helps it set and slice neatly.
- You can substitute long ziti with penne pasta if pastitsio pasta is unavailable.
- If you prefer a lighter béchamel, you can reduce butter slightly but not too much to keep creaminess.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, especially salt in the béchamel and meat sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
