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Greek Pastitsio - mince and pasta bake with cheese sauce
4.5 from 12 votes

Greek Pastitsio - mince and pasta bake with cheese sauce

Greek Pastitsio recipe - beef mince and pasta bake

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion peeled and finely diced, large
  • 2 garlic grated or minced, large cloves
  • 500 g beef mince lean; or lamb mince
  • 1 tsp thyme dried
  • 1 tsp oregano dried
  • 1/2 tsp cumin ground
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • pinch cloves
  • 175 ml white wine or vegetable stock, 6 fl oz
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 400 g chopped tomatoes in tomato sauce 14 oz
  • 5 tbsp tomato paste
  • salt freshly ground
  • black pepper freshly ground
  • 400 g macaroni 14 oz; or penne pasta
  • <br>
  • <b>For the cheese sauce</b>
  • 25 g butter unsalted, 1 1/2 tbsp
  • 2 tbsp plain all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 300 ml milk whole, 10 fl oz
  • 50 g Grana Padano cheese scant 2 oz grated; or Parmesan cheese; plus 1 tbsp for topping
  • 50 g cheddar cheese crumbled, scant 2 oz finely grated strong; or feta cheese
  • 2 egg lightly beaten, large
  • nutmeg large pinch, freshly grated
  • 1/4 tsp thyme dried

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the olive oil in a lage pot over medium-low heat and cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the lamb or beef mince and brown for 5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
  3. Stir in the spices, herbs, cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, wine and vinegar. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  5. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
  6. Cook the pasta until it is al dente – cooked but with a bit of a bite. Rinse, drain and mix with the meat sauce.
  7. Pack into a large ovenproof dish.
  8. Make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a pan and whisk in the flour and mustard powder. Cook over low heat for two minutes.
  9. Gradually add the milk and whisk it in.
  10. Add the cheeses and whisk to combine until melted.
  11. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the beaten eggs and nutmeg.
  12. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and place the dish on a large baking tray.
  13. Bake for 30 minutes in. 180C /350F preheated oven then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of grated cheese and the dried thyme. Bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese layer is set.
  14. Cool for 10 minutes and serve with a green salad or steamed vegetables.