Easy Greek Pastitsio Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
768 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Greek
Easy Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Description
The Easy Greek Pastitsio Recipe features three main components: a creamy béchamel sauce, a seasoned meat sauce with ground beef and lamb, and baked penne pasta mixed with eggs and Parmesan cheese. The béchamel is prepared by cooking butter and flour, integrating milk slowly to avoid lumps, then enriching with Parmesan and eggs for a thick, creamy topping.
The meat sauce is made by sautéing onions and garlic, then browning the mixed meats with tomato paste, diced tomatoes, herbs, and spices including cinnamon and oregano, simmered until thickened. This sauce is distinctly flavored with aromatic seasoning and a subtle cinnamon note, reflecting its Greek roots.
After cooking pasta and combining it with eggs, cheese, and parsley, the layers are assembled in a baking dish: pasta first, then meat sauce, topped with béchamel. Baking melds the flavors and produces a rich, golden crust atop tender pasta and meat beneath.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days and reheated by microwave or oven. The meat and béchamel sauces can be made ahead and stored separately for convenience. Various meat substitutions and cinnamon form options allow some flexibility while maintaining traditional flavor.
Ingredients
Bechamel Sauce
- 1/2 tick butter cut into pieces
- 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 2 egg
Meat sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb lamb ground
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 can diced tomatoes 15 oz.
- 2 bay leaf
Pasta
- 1 lb penne pasta or pastitsio pasta No.2
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 egg
- 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1/2 cup parsley
Instructions
Bechamel sauce
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add in the flour and whisk well. Cook until it doesn't smell raw.
- Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly to make sure no lumps form.
- lower the heat and add the salt and pepper.
- Keep stirring and cooking until the sauce thickens.
- Turn the heat off, stir the parmesan into the sauce.
- Add in the eggs one by one and stir very well after each addition. Set the bechamel sauce aside.
Meat sauce
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Add in the tomato sauce and mix it with the onion and garlic.
- Add in the ground beef and ground lamb. Brown them in the pan and break them as you cook them.
- Add in oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir well and cook for a minute.
- Add in the water, canned tomatoes and add the bay leaves. Keep the heat on medium and cook the meat sauce for about 30 minutes or until the water is almost evaporated.
- Taste the sauce to make sure it has enough salt, add more if needed.
- Remove the bay leaves and set the sauce aside.
Pasta
- Cook the penne according to the packaging and drain.
- Once the pasta is cool enough to handle, place it in a bowl and mix it with olive oil, eggs, parmesan and parsley to it.
Assemble:
- Preheat the oven to 350F and coat a 9X13 baking pan with non stick spray.
- Transfer the pasta to the baking pan. Top it with all the meat sauce and make sure to spread evenly.
- Top the meat sauce with the bechamel sauce and sprinkle some parmesan cheese if desired.
- Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until it's all set and the top is golden brown.
- To cut, let the pastitsio cool for 10 minutes, then using a large, sharp knife, slice the baked pasta into squares.
Notes
- Vegetarian option uses cooked lentils or fried eggplant instead of meat.
- Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat in microwave or oven.
- Meat and béchamel sauces can be prepared ahead and stored separately before assembling the dish.
- Use lean meat for a less greasy outcome; if using fattier meat, drain excess fat during cooking.
- Substitute bucatini pasta if pastitsio pasta is unavailable; remove cinnamon stick from sauce if used whole instead of ground cinnamon.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 768 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 768kcal | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 59g | 20% |
| Protein | 35g | 70% |
| Fat | 43g | 66% |
| Saturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Cholesterol | 181mg | 60% |
| Sodium | 1187mg | 49% |
| Potassium | 744mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 1016IU | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 357mg | 36% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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