YiaYia's Authentic Pastitsio
The ultimate Greek comfort food with layers of cheesy pasta, a rich tomato meat sauce and a creamy béchamel sauce. It's the Greek version of lasagna that can be made ahead and freezes well.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 1 lb penne pasta cooked al dente according to package instructions
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup Kefalotyri or parmesan cheese shredded
Meat Sauce:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/2 cup red wine cab or pinot
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Béchamel Sauce:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup Kefalotyri or parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 egg yolks
Topping:
- 1 cup Kefalotyri or parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
Prepare Pasta:
- Shred 3 cups Kefalotyri or parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Cook penne in boiling salted water to al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and return to the pot, let cool for 5 minutes. Add 2 egg whites and stir. Mix in 1 cup shredded Kefalotyri cheese (or parmesan).
Prepare Meat Sauce:
- Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and diced onion, sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft.
- Add the ground beef and ground pork to pot with onions. Cook, breaking meat into pieces until fully browned. Add wine and stir until combined and wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, parsley, sugar, bay leaf, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30-40 minutes, allowing liquids to evaporate and sauce to thicken. Stir mixture a few times throughout simmering.
- Once mixture is thick with little to no liquid, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove bay leaf.
Prepare Béchamel:
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a separate large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute.
- Gradually add in 4 cups milk, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup Kefalotyri (or parmesan cheese) and 2 egg yolks. Set aside.
Assemble & Bake:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 4.5 QT 10x14 or deep 9x13 baking dish.
- Transfer half of the cooked penne to the baking dish and arrange in an even layer so the bottom of the dish is covered. Pour over 1/4 of the béchamel sauce.
- Transfer the entire meat sauce and spread in an even layer. Top with remaining pasta. Cover the top with all remaining béchamel sauce in a nice even layer.
- Sprinkle the top with 1 cup shredded cheese and bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes. Broil for an additional 3-5 minutes to get a nice golden-brown top, careful not to burn.
- Let pastitsio sit for 15-30 minutes to solidify (this will ensure it all stays together when serving) then cut into square pieces. Serves 10-12.
Notes
- Cheese - Kefalotyri is used traditionally but is difficult to find in American stores so feel free to use parmesan.
- Pasta – Pastitsio No. 2 / Greek bucatini is traditional but hard to find. You can sub penne, small ziti or normal bucatini.
- Meat - you may use all ground beef (2 lbs.) if preferred.
- Red wine – sub beef or chicken broth if cannot have wine.
- Béchamel tip - whisk constantly through each step. Ensure the sauce is very thick (should coat the back of a spoon) before removing from heat and adding cheese.
- Make Ahead - can be made one day in advance. Once cool, cover tightly and place in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, reheat in a 350 F oven for about 45 minutes.
- Storing - cooked pastitsio keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 2 months. Reheat pieces in a 350 F oven.