Pastitsio Recipe (παστίτσιο)

Pastitsio is a homemade Greek dish that is a cross between macaroni and cheese and Hamburger Helper. However, you make it from scratch without any mysterious powders. It comes from the Italian tradition of pasticcio di pasta or scrambled mess.

Ingredients:
macaroni
1 cup elbow macaroni
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tspn nutmeg
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, lightly beaten

meat sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 pound of ground beef
1/2 cup red wine (I used Gallo Burgundy)
3/4 cup beef broth
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 tspn oregano

bechamel sauce
bechamel sauce
+ 1 egg, lightly beaten

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease an casserole dish with olive oil.
3. Cook macaroni noodles in a pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain noodles and return to the pot.
4. Add slices of butter to the hot macaroni and stir to coat the noodles in the butter.
5. Sprinkle the noodles with the nutmeg and then add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese to the noodles. Stir this mixture.
6. Season the noodle mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
7. After the noodles have cooled, stir in the egg, then set aside.
8. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium.
9. Add the onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until onions become translucent.
10. Add the ground beef and cook until beef has browned about 5 to 7 minutes.
11. Add the wine, beef stock, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper and bring mixture to a boil over medium - high heat. Then reduce heat to low and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
12. Make the bechamel sauce and whisk in the lightly beaten egg.
    
13. Grease an casserole dish with olive oil.
14. Spread half of the meat sauce in the casserole dish.
15. Layer half of the macaroni mixture over the meat sauce.
16. Spread the remaining meat sauce over the macaroni.
17. Layer the remaining macaroni over the meat sauce. Press the noodles down using a spatula.
18. Pour the bechamel sauce over the macaroni.
19. Top the dish with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
20. Bake the pastitsio uncovered for 45 minutes or until golden colored. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
    

Greece [ print this recipe ]