Casseroles
Pastitsio
Move over, lasagna! This pastitsio is a Greek baked pasta dish that will wow your family and friends!
At a glance
What stands out: Move over, lasagna! This pastitsio is a Greek baked pasta dish that will wow your family and friends!
How long it takes: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: pasta pot, skillet, 8 x 8 inch baking dish
Servings: 6
We love trying new recipes, and pastitsio has been on our recipe bucket list for awhile now. Ever since we had some at a Greek restaurant in Chicago, we've been dying to give it a try. When Kathy asked us to help her kick off the launch of her new book by making one of the recipes out of the “Sunday Dinner” section of her book, our eyes immediately jetted to the pastitsio.
And our, oh our, is Kathy’s recipe rich! We're so grateful that we have the chance to share this with you. Her cookbook is full of recipes that you can make in an 8 x 8-inch square pan.
Her book is now available!
What is Pastitsio?
Pastitsio is a Greek baked pasta similar to Italian lasagna. You can find special pastitsio pasta but we just use mini ziti. The pasta is layered with a mixture of ground beef or lamb, tomatoes and wine. A creamy béchamel (white sauce) tops the pasta. Kathy uses lots of Parmesan in her béchamel recipe and it is irresistible!
You’re going to love this casserole! It makes your house smell SO good! Pastitsio takes a little time to make. It’s in the “Sunday dinner” category of Kathy’s book for a reason. There’s definitely a little extra TLC that goes into making this but if you plan ahead, read through the entire recipe and take your time, there’s nothing too technically difficult about this recipe.
We usually double this recipe for pastitsio and make it in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Then we get to enjoy it two nights in a row!
- Yield: 6
- Prep: 30 minutes
- Cook: 1 hour
- Total: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pastitsio pasta (see note)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces ground beef (85/15) (or ground lamb)
- 1 cup diced yellow onion ( 1 medium onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup no-salt added canned diced tomatoes, undrained
Béchamel:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions. Drain in a colander.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8 × 8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned.
- Add the wine and scrape up any of the bits stuck to the pan with your spoon. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley and another ¼ teaspoon salt, and let the mixture simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Transfer half of the cooked pasta to the prepared baking dish, spreading it in an even layer on the bottom of the dish. Next, spread the meat mixture in an even layer on top of the pasta. Finally, top the meat with an even layer of the remaining pasta.
- To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a thick paste and cook, whisking occasionally, until the aroma of the mixture is more nutty than floury, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the milk, then the beaten egg. Mix in ½ cup of the Parmesan, and the salt and pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. The sauce should be somewhat thick, like a light custard.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the pasta in the baking dish. Top the Parmesan with the béchamel, spreading the sauce to the edges. The béchamel should form its own layer on top of the casserole.
- Bake until the béchamel is set and browned on top, 45 to 50 minutes.
- Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes. It will be easier to cut and you'll be able to see the lovely layers.
Notes
Pastitsio: Pastitsio (sometimes called pastichio) pasta noodles are long and tubular. You can find it in international and specialty food stores, or on Amazon. Bucatini, ziti, or penne are suitable substitutes.
Double the recipe: This recipe can easily be doubled. Use a 9 x 13-inch pan, and double all the ingredients, to make 12 servings.
