Pastitsio

Pastitsio (Greek Pasta Bake with Cinnamon-Scented Meat and Béchamel)

A classic Greek baked pasta dish featuring tubular bucatini layered with a cinnamon-spiced minced beef and tomato sauce, blanketed with a thick, golden béchamel. It is the Greek answer to lasagne, traditionally served as a main course at family Sunday lunches.

Prep

30 min

Cook

60 min

Total

90 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) bucatini pasta, or penne/ziti as a substitute; traditional Greek recipes often use bucatini or #2 macaroni
• •30 g (¼ cup) olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• •1 large onion, finely chopped
• •2 cloves garlic, minced
• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) minced beef, 20% fat, ideally a beef/lamb mix as in Greece
• •400 g (14 oz) canned chopped tomatoes, or 2 tbsp tomato paste plus 200 ml water
• •60 ml (¼ cup) red wine, optional but traditional
• •1 tsp ground cinnamon, not optional; the defining flavour
• •ground allspice, ½
• •1 tsp dried oregano, Greek oregano preferred
• •1 bay leaf bay leaf
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, plus more for pasta water
• •1 pinch black pepper
• •100 g (3½ oz) kefalotyri or hard cheese, grated; pecorino or parmesan as a substitute
• •100 g (½ cup) butter, for béchamel and pasta
• •100 g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour
• •1 L (4¼ cups) whole milk, warm, not cold
• •2 large eggs, lightly beaten, for binding béchamel
• •freshly grated nutmeg, ¼

Steps

1. 1 Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the bucatini 2 minutes less than the package directions so it is very al dente; it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and toss with 20 g of butter and a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. 2 While the pasta cooks, prepare the meat sauce: heat 30 ml olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. 3 Add the minced beef and break it up with a spoon. Brown for 8 to 10 minutes until the meat has lost its raw colour and any liquid has evaporated.
4. 4 Pour in the red wine if using and let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, cinnamon, allspice, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until thick and oily at the edges. Remove the bay leaf.
5. 5 Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Brush a 30 × 23 cm (12 × 9 in) baking dish with olive oil.
6. 6 Make the béchamel: in a heavy saucepan melt 80 g butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the roux turns pale gold and smells nutty — do not let it brown.
7. 7 Gradually whisk in the warm milk, a little at a time at first to avoid lumps, then more steadily, until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, whisking, until it coats the back of a spoon thickly.
8. 8 Remove the béchamel from the heat. Temper the beaten eggs by whisking a couple of spoonfuls of hot béchamel into them, then pour the egg mixture back into the pan and whisk quickly to combine. Stir in the nutmeg and taste for salt.
9. 9 Assemble: spread half the pasta in the prepared dish, sprinkle with half the grated cheese. Spoon the meat sauce evenly over the pasta and smooth the top. Top with the remaining pasta.
10. 10 Pour the béchamel over the top and spread to the edges. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and dot with a few thin slices of the remaining 20 g butter for a golden crust.
11. 11 Bake uncovered on the middle rack for 45 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the béchamel is set rather than jiggly in the centre. The internal temperature should reach 75°C / 165°F.
12. 12 Rest the pastitsio at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before slicing; this is essential so the layers cut cleanly. Serve warm, ideally at room temperature, with a Greek salad and crusty bread.