Greek Pastitsio
A magnificent Greek baked pasta dish layered with spiced meat sauce, tubular pasta, and a thick bechamel topping that emerges from the oven golden and bubbling. It is often called the Greek lasagna and holds a place of honor at family celebrations and Sunday tables throughout Greece.
A hearty Greek baked pasta casserole featuring spiced lamb, tube pasta, and a golden bechamel crust.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
pasta
protein
sauce
spice
bechamel
Instructions
Make the Meat Sauce
Brown ground lamb in a large skillet over high heat, breaking it up well. Add crushed tomatoes, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the sauce is thick and fragrant with almost no liquid remaining. Set aside to cool slightly.
Cook the Pasta and Make Bechamel
Cook pasta in heavily salted boiling water until 3 minutes before al dente, then drain. Meanwhile melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in 80g of flour, cook for 2 minutes, then gradually whisk in warm milk. Cook stirring constantly for 8 minutes until thick. Season with salt, nutmeg, and stir in 2 beaten eggs off the heat.
Assemble the Pastitsio
Preheat oven to 180C. Butter a deep 30cm baking dish. Spread half the pasta evenly on the bottom, pour over all the meat sauce, then top with remaining pasta. Pour the bechamel evenly over the top, smoothing it to the edges to seal in the layers completely.
Bake Until Golden
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until the bechamel topping is deeply golden brown and set firmly. Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares. This resting time is essential for clean slices.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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