Greek Pastitsio (Baked Pasta with Ground Beef & Béchamel)

4.84 from 24 votes

Greek Pastitsio (Baked Pasta with Ground Beef & Béchamel)

Don't miss this delicious baked pasta with ground beef and bechamel sauce, the Greek version of lasagna! The easy step-by-step guide for this Pastitsio recipe by a Greek cook, will make you an expert in Greek cuisine in no time.

Prep Time2

Cook Time1

Total Time3

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Servings: servings

Calories: 695kcal

Author: Makos

Equipment

1 deep casserole dish at least 14 x 10.5 inches (35.5 x 26 cm) and 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep. or 1 round baking dish 14 inches (35cm) in diameter and 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

2.4 pounds ground beef or a mix of beef and lamb or pork
3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion grated or finely chopped
1 carrot grated
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup dry wine white, rose, or red
¼ cup tomato paste
2 cups pureed tomatoes canned or fresh
Salt and black pepper to taste

For the pasta:

1 pound pastitsio pasta No2
1 ½ cups grated cheese I use a mix of Greek Kefalotiri and Parmigiano Reggiano

For the béchamel sauce:

1.2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup olive oil or butter
Freshly ground nutmeg about ⅓ of a nutmeg seed
1 ½ teaspoons fine salt
6 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups grated cheese I use a mix of Greek Kefalotiri and Parmigiano Reggiano

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Transfer the olive oil and the ground beef to a deep pot and saute over high heat. Don't stir at first, let it brown on the one side and then stir with a wooden spoon and break any meat lumps.
Cook until all of the juices are evaporated, then reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and the carrot and stir for 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and glossy. Then add the bay leaves, the cinnamon stick, the cloves, the salt, the black pepper and stir. Add the wine, wait for 1 minute for the alcohol to evaporate and add the pureed tomatoes and the tomato paste. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until almost all of the liquids are evaporated. Discard the bay leaves and the cinnamon stick.
Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil. Transfer the pasta in the pot and cook, until al dente (the pasta will continue to cook in the oven, so I boil it 3 minutes less than the time on the packaging).
Briefly rinse the pasta with cold water, drain and transfer about two-thirds into a greased casserole dish. Add the grated cheese and gently mix or shake to distribute evenly.
Spoon the meat sauce over the pasta and level the surface with the back of the spoon. Then, arrange the remaining of the pasta over the meat.
Preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C).
Transfer the olive oil and the flour to a large pot and heat over medium/high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until the flour starts to smell nutty. Remove from the heat and add the milk gradually, whisking constantly to prevent it from forming any lumps. When all the milk is added, return to the stove and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the Bechamel sauce thickens. When it starts to bubble, remove from the heat and let it sit on your counter for 5 minutes to cool. Add the nutmeg the salt and the grated cheese and stir to combine. Then add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
Pour the béchamel sauce over the pasta, level with a spatula and sprinkle the surface with the remaining grated cheese.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the top is golden brown with dark spots all over the surface. Let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing for easier serving.

Video

Notes

Greeks often add a beef (or chicken) bouillon to the meat sauce for more flavor. You may want to reduce the salt if you follow this tip.

The meat sauce should by on the dry side. Let it simmer over low heat until almost all of the liquid is evaporated. If you're in a hurry and the sauce is not fully ready yet, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of ground rusks, to absorb the extra liquid.

If you can't find Pastitsio Pasta, you can also use or bucatini or penne pasta. Just make sure the pasta have a hole in the middle.

Casserole Dish: If you use the standard 13x9 inches deep casserole dish, you may have some bechamel sauce left (or you can make less bechamel with 57 grams olive oil, 100 grams flour and 1000 grams milk). Another option is to use a disposable aluminum pan 13.25 x 9.63 x 3.5 inches.

Nutrition