You'll notice that the shape of the pasta used for this dish isn't easily found at local grocery stores. If you have access to a Greek import store, you can find it there, but don't hesitate to use a regular penne or other pasta. It will slightly alter the appearance of the dish but the flavors will be the same.
Also, there are a few critical aspects to this recipe that must be followed to ensure its success - don't use skim milk for the bechamel and be sure to let the pastitsio rest for 30 minutes, once out of the oven, allowing the bechamel to set.
Ingredients (serves 6 to 8)
For the pasta
- 1 pound Macaroni No 2 or the pasta of your choice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Water
For the ground beef
- 1 large onion
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 5 cups water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 dash ground cinnamon
For the bechamel (amount can be doubled if you want a thick layer of bechamel)
- 4 cups milk (2% or whole - not skim)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 egg yolks
- salt and ground nutmeg to taste
Time - 2 hours
Cooking/Baking (400 degrees) - 90 minutes
Resting time - 30 minutes
Preparation
- Fill a large pot with water, add a tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat
- While the water is heating, roughly chop the onion and combine with the olive oil in a large sauce pan
- Cook the onion over medium heat, until it begins to sweat
- Add the ground beef and brown
- Once the meat has browned, add 5 cups of water to the sauce pan and let simmer uncovered
- Once the water in the large pot reaches a boil, add the pasta, and set the timer to 15 minutes
- After 15 minutes, drain the water and evenly distribute the pasta on the bottom of a large baking dish
- Add the tomato paste, salt, and cinnamon to the ground beef, and continue to let simmer until the water fully evaporates
- Evenly spread the ground beef over the pasta in the baking dish
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees
- Start making the bechamel by combining the milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, and flour in a large sauce pan
- Heat over medium-high heat, stirring continuously
- As it cooks, the bechamel will thicken
- Add salt and ground nutmeg and stir well
- Pour the bechamel over ground beef in the baking dish and spread evenly with the help of a spatula
- Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown
- Note that the bechamel will quickly turn from golden to dark brown (as can be seen in the picture below) so keep a close eye on it during the last 5-10 minutes of baking
- Once out of the oven, let the pastitsio sit for 30 minutes in order for the bechamel to set
- This dish refrigerates well for up to 5 days
- You can also cut up into serving sizes and store individual portions in the freezer
- Kali orexi!