Name: Pastitsio (Greek Pasta Bake)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 4 tbsp olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 large onion, chopped; 1½ lbs ground beef; 2 cups beef broth; 400g canned chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato paste; ½ tbsp sugar; 2 bay leaves; 2 cinnamon sticks; ¼ tsp ground cloves; ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; ¼ cup butter; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 2½ cups milk; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; ¼ cup grated Parmesan; 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten; 14 oz pastitsio pasta (or bucatini/ziti/penne); ¼ cup crumbled feta; 2 tbsp olive oil; ¼ cup grated Parmesan

Description

Pastitsio, sometimes called Greek lasagna, is a comfort food made of layers of pasta, spiced beef, and a béchamel topping. Delicious!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Meat Sauce

4 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 cups beef broth
400g canned chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Béchamel Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 egg + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Pasta Layer

14 oz pastitsio pasta (or bucatini/ziti/penne)
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 tbsp olive oil

Topping

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Making the meat sauce

Heat oil in a skillet over medium. Sauté garlic and onion until soft (3–5 minutes). Add the ground beef. Cook until browned and crumbly (about 5 minutes).
Stir in broth, tomatoes, paste, sugar, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, salt, pepper, and parsley. Simmer on low, covered, for 20 minutes. Set aside.

Making the Béchamel sauce

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly. Simmer until thickened. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Let cool slightly. Whisk in beaten eggs and Parmesan. Set aside.

Cook the pasta

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente (about 8 minutes, or per your pasta instructions). Drain well.
Toss with olive oil and crumbled feta. Let cool slightly.

Assemble & Bake

Spread pasta evenly in your baking dish. Spoon the meat sauce over the pasta.
Pour béchamel over meat layer and smooth evenly. Sprinkle Parmesan on top.
Bake uncovered for 50 minutes, or until top is golden and bubbling. Rest 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Pasta substitutions: Use bucatini, penne, ziti, or rigatoni if pastitsio pasta isn’t available.

Make-ahead: Meat sauce and béchamel can be made 1 day in advance and stored separately in the fridge.

Resting is key: Allowing the baked dish to rest helps it set for clean slices.

Flavor tip: Let the meat sauce simmer fully—those 20 minutes make a big difference!

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Greek