Traditional Greek Pastitsio

An alternative to moussaka, pastitsio, which some refer to as Greek lasagna, is the epitome of Greek comfort food. With its thick layer of pasta, savory meat sauce, and rich bechamel, this dish isn’t modest on the calorie front, but it makes up for it with a big food hug.

You’ll notice that the shape of the pasta used for pastitsio 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

For the pasta

• 1 pound Macaroni No 2 or the pasta of your choice
• 1 tablespoon salt
• A pot of water to boil the pasta

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 whole or 2% milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 egg yolks
• salt and ground nutmeg to taste

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