Pastitsio
Move over, lasagna! This pastitsio is a Greek baked pasta dish that will wow your family and friends!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pastitsio pasta (see note)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces ground beef (85/15) (or ground lamb)
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (1 medium onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon coarse salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup red wine
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup no-salt added canned diced tomatoes, undrained
Béchamel:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8 × 8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions. Drain in a colander.8 ounces pastitsio pasta
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned.1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 8 ounces ground beef (85/15), 1 cup diced yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, minced, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Add the wine and scrape up any of the bits stuck to the pan with your spoon. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley and another ¼ teaspoon salt, and let the mixture simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.¼ cup red wine, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 cup no-salt added canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- Transfer half of the cooked pasta to the prepared baking dish, spreading it in an even layer on the bottom of the dish. Next, spread the meat mixture in an even layer on top of the pasta. Finally, top the meat with an even layer of the remaining pasta.
- To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a thick paste and cook, whisking occasionally, until the aroma of the mixture is more nutty than floury, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the milk, then the beaten egg. Mix in ½ cup of the Parmesan, and the salt and pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. The sauce should be somewhat thick, like a light custard.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole milk, 1 large egg, lightly beaten, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the pasta in the baking dish. Top the Parmesan with the béchamel, spreading the sauce to the edges. The béchamel should form its own layer on top of the casserole.
- Bake until the béchamel is set and browned on top, 45 to 50 minutes. The casserole will be easier to cut—and see those lovely layers—if you wait 10 minutes for it to cool.
Notes
- Pastitsio: You can find pastitsio (sometimes called pastichio) pasta noodles are long and tubular. You can find it in international and specialty food stores, or on Amazon. Bucatini, ziti, or penne are suitable substitutes.
- Double the recipe: This recipe can easily be doubled. Use a 9 x 13 inch pan, and double all the ingredients, to make 12 servings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1square | Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 936mg | Potassium: 453mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 747IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 244mg | Iron: 2mg
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