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Pastitsio

Greek pastitsio: baked tubular pasta with cinnamon-spiced beef sauce and a thick, golden béchamel topping.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 710
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g bucatini or ziti
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 700 g beef mince
  • 100 ml red wine
  • 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 100 g butter
  • 100 g plain flour
  • 1 l whole milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 100 g kefalotyri or Parmesan grated
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • Salt and black pepper

Method
 

  1. Soften the onion and garlic in the oil. Brown the mince, add the wine, tomatoes, cinnamon and allspice and simmer for 30 minutes.
  2. Boil the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet time, drain and toss with a little of the cheese.
  3. Make a thick béchamel with the butter, flour and milk. Off the heat, beat in the yolks, nutmeg and half the remaining cheese.
  4. Heat the oven to 180°C. Spread the pasta in a greased 23 × 33 cm dish and top with the meat sauce.
  5. Pour over the béchamel and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
  6. Bake for 45–50 minutes until golden. Rest for 20 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Make the béchamel thick. It should hold its shape when the pastitsio is cut.