Pastitsio Recipe

Pastitsio is a very popular Greek dish. I’ve had it in Tolo, a beautiful town near Athens and then made it at home when we wanted something comforting. If you haven’t heard of it, Pastitsio is a casserole dish made out of pasta, beef, tomato sauce, béchamel and loads of flavor. I think you’re gonna love it!

Watch How To Make It:

There you have it: the famous Pastitsio! Most of the time we invite friends and family to join us when I make this dish because I always make so much!

Here is the written recipe, with the ingredients and step by step instructions:

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Pastitsio

One of the most authentic Greek recipes, Pastitio is a great casserole recipe to make for the weekend dinner. It has pasta, ground beef and bechamel sauce. This recipe is easy to make at home and will turn out delicious!

Servings 6 people

Equipment

Sharp knife

Cutting board

Rubber spatula

Pan

Oven Tray

Boiling Pot

Ingredients

• 2 pound ground beef (800g)
• 7 oz feta cheese (200g)
• 5 oz gruyere cheese (150g)
• 7 tbsp butter (100g)
• 4 cups milk (1L)
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 11 tbsp flour (100g)
• 3 eggs
• 1 glass red wine (150ml)
• ½ cup water (100ml)
• 14 oz chopped canned tomatoes (400g)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil

Instructions

• In a preheated pan at medium heat add the olive oil, then the ground beef. Stir and cook for 12 minutes or until it gets browned
• Next, move the beef until you make room for about half a pan and add the chopped onions in that space. Cook like this for 5 minutes and then mix them.
• Again set aside the mix to make room for about a third of the pan and add in the chopped garlic. Cook like this for 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste over the garlic and cook it for 1 minute.
• After that, mix everything together and add the wine. Cook for 2 more minutes.
• Then add the chopped tomatoes, a teaspoon of salt, the bay leaves, the herbs and cinnamon, the water – and cook for 25 minutes or until the sauce gets thick. Remove the bay leaves and set aside
• In a boiling pot add the pasta and cook them for 2 minutes less than what it says on the box
• While that is happening, we will make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a pan at medium heat. As soon as the butter melts add the flour and whisk it for 2 minutes.
• Then add the milk in small batches while whisking.
• When the sauce starts to thicken add the nutmeg, pepper, salt, 2 egg yolks and half of the grated Gruyere cheese. Mix until the cheese melts, then set aside.
• Add the pasta in an oven tray and pour an egg over it, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the feta cheese, crumbled. Mix gently with a spoon. Optionally you can add more oregano and thyme over the pasta.
• Next, add the beef sauce over the pasta, then the béchamel sauce making sure to spread it evenly. I made the Pastitsio in a wide tray because me and my wife like it in thin layers.
• Last, sprinkle the remaining grated Gruyere cheese and place into a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (or 200 degrees Celsius), on the middle wrack and cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 175 degrees Celsius) for 40-45 minutes.

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Did you make this recipe?

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More Greek Recipes

If you love Greece as much as I do, you want to know as many Greek recipes as possible. Click to see all of mine in the Greek Recipes page!