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Greek pastitsio baked pasta casserole with tubular macaroni, spiced beef, tomato sauce, golden béchamel, and Greek salad.

Greek Pastitsio

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A layered Greek baked pasta casserole with spiced beef, tomato sauce, tubular macaroni, and creamy béchamel.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 660
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Meat Sauce and Pasta
  • 1 lb ground beef or lamb
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 lb bucatini or pastitsio pasta
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
Béchamel
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk warm
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan plus more for the top

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch baking dish
  • Large pot
  • Large skillet
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk

Method
 

Make the meat sauce:
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and ground meat.
  2. Brown the meat, then stir in the tomatoes, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes until thick.
Cook the pasta and béchamel:
  1. Boil the pasta in salted water until just shy of al dente. Drain and toss with the remaining olive oil.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the warm milk and simmer until thick.
  3. Remove from the heat, cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the eggs and Parmesan.
Layer and bake:
  1. Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Spread the pasta in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Spoon the meat sauce over the pasta and spread the béchamel evenly on top. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.
  3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deeply golden. Rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 660kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 31gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 720mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10g

Notes

  • Cook the pasta slightly underdone because it continues cooking in the oven.
  • A pinch of nutmeg in the béchamel is a welcome variation.
  • Resting is essential for neat slices.