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4.2 from 126 votes

Pastitsio - Greek-style Lasagna

Pastitsio is a scrumptious Greek pasta bake with layers of macaroni, spiced ground meat + tomato sauce, and Greek Bechamel cream with cheese!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 9 portions
Calories: 855 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

For The Ground Meat Sauce:
  • olive oil
  • 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) ground meat (I'm using half pork and half beef)
  • 1 large onion minced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 4½ tablespoons tomato paste
  • 400 grams (14 ounce) canned diced tomatoes crushed tomatoes or fresh diced tomatoes
  • ⅔ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 tick of cinnamon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • coarse sea salt
  • ground pepper
  • Optional: ⅔ teaspoon sugar
For The Greek Bechamel Cream:
  • 120 grams (8 tablespoons) butter
  • 120 grams (1 cup) flour
  • 1400 ml milk lukewarm
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 170 grams grams (6 ounces) Greek Kefalotyri cheese or Parmesan, Pecorino, or Romano cheese
  • ⅓ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For The Pasta:
  • 500 grams (17.6 ounces) Macaroni No.2 for Pastitsio

Instructions

Make the Ground Meat Sauce:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a cooking pot over high heat.
  2. Saute onion until softened. Then add the garlic.
  3. Add the ground meat. Season with coarse sea salt and ground pepper.
  4. Break up the meat using a wooden spoon, until browned and drained from its juices.
  5. Stir in the tomato paste, ground cloves, allspice, and cinnamon stick. Cook for a minute.
  6. Add the diced tomatoes and the bay leaves. Pour in 4 cups of hot water.
  7. Simmer covered for about an hour over medium-low heat. Towards the end uncover the pot and allow the sauce to thicken. Meanwhile, make the cream.
Make The Bechamel Cream:
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over moderate heat.
  2. Add the flour. Cook until it looks sandy for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
  3. Pour in the milk and add the nutmeg. Cook stirring often until the cream thickens. Scrape the sides and walls of the cooking pot where flour tends to stick.
  4. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
  5. Whisk in the eggs and ⅔ of the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
For The Pasta:
  1. Boil pasta al dente following package instructions.
Put Together:
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
  2. I used a 14 x 11 x 3-inch (36 x 28 x 7) pan. You can use a slightly bigger but not smaller pan.
  3. Save ¼ of the cooked pasta and spread the remaining in the pan. Try to arrange it to face toward one direction as much as possible (for visual purposes).
  4. Spread the ground meat sauce on top. Then add the ¼ of the pasta you saved.
  5. Ladle the cream and spread it evenly with a spoon.
  6. Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ of the grated cheese all over on top.
  7. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until honey-colored on top on the lowest rack of the oven.
  8. Allow to cool and set for at least 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature.
  9. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 855kcal (43%) Carbohydrates 66g (22%) Protein 43g (86%) Fat 46g (71%) Saturated Fat 22g (110%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 16g Trans Fat 2g Cholesterol 219mg (73%) Sodium 671mg (28%) Potassium 915mg (26%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 1030IU (21%) Vitamin C 7mg (8%) Calcium 497mg (50%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 9portions

Amount Per Serving

Calories 855

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 855kcal 43%
Carbohydrates 66g 22%
Protein 43g 86%
Fat 46g 71%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 16g 80%
Trans Fat 2g 100%
Cholesterol 219mg 73%
Sodium 671mg 28%
Potassium 915mg 19%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 13g 26%
Vitamin A 1030IU 21%
Vitamin C 7mg 8%
Calcium 497mg 50%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.