Mediterranean🍜 Noodles & pasta

Greek Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

Name: Greek Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 3½ cups Penne pasta; Salt; Extra virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp Grated Parmesan; 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil; 1 Large yellow onion, chopped; 1½ lb Lean ground beef; 3 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped; Salt; ½ cup Red wine such as merlot; 28 oz Canned crushed tomatoes; 2 Dried bay leaves; ¾ tsp Ground allspice; ½ tsp Ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg; a pinch Sugar; ⅓ + 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil; ⅔ cups All-purpose flour; ½ tsp Salt; ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg; 4 cups 2% milk, warmed; 2 Large eggs

⏱ 90 min

Pastitsio is a comforting Greek layered pasta casserole with penne pasta, a richly spiced meat sauce, and a creamy béchamel topping. This dish is similar to moussaka and features beautiful golden-brown baked layers.

Adapted from a video by The Mediterranean Dish

Greek Pastitsio Recipe (Greek Lasagna Recipe!)

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

Penne pastauncooked3½ cups
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Grated Parmesan3 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oilfor meat sauce3 tbsp
Large yellow onion, chopped1
Lean ground beef1½ lb
Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped3
Salt
Red wine such as merlot½ cup

Steps

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1
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne for about 8 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for a few minutes until lightly golden.
3
Add the chopped garlic and then the ground beef. Break up the meat and cook until fully browned.
4
Season the meat with salt, cinnamon, allspice, and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir well and drain excess liquid if needed.
5
Add the bay leaves, red wine, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes and then reduce heat to low, allowing the sauce to simmer until flavors meld.
6
In another pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once it begins to sizzle, add the flour and whisk to create a roux.
7
When the roux is golden brown, gradually add the warmed milk while whisking continuously. Keep whisking to prevent lumps until the sauce becomes smooth and thick.
8
Season the béchamel with salt and nutmeg. Turn off the heat and let the sauce continue to thicken.
9
To temper the eggs, scoop some béchamel into a bowl, add the 2 large eggs, and whisk well. Then pour this mixture back into the béchamel pot while whisking continuously.
10
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish.
11
Assemble the pastitsio in layers: spread the penne pasta as the first layer, arranging it evenly.
12
Add the meat sauce as the second layer, spreading evenly. Remember to remove the bay leaves first.
13
Top with the béchamel sauce as the final layer. If the sauce has started to firm up, gently break it up before spreading.
14
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour until the béchamel top is set and golden brown.

Greek Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

Ingredients

Steps

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