Pastitsio
Pastitsio, sometimes spelled pastichio, is an Italian and Greek baked pasta dish that contains ground beef and béchamel sauce; it is of southern Italian origin. There are variants throughout the Mediterranean.
Print Facebook Pinterest Twitter Add to Collection Servings: 8 people
Calories: 797kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter 60 ml
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 1 lb ground beef 450 g
- 1 lb ground lamb 450 g
- 2 cups tomato sauce 500 ml
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 60 ml
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano 2 ml
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon 2 ml
- ground pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- For the béchamel sauce:
- 4 tbsp butter 60 ml
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 60 ml
- 3 cups milk 750 ml
- 6 large eggs well beaten
- A grating of fresh nutmeg
- 1 lb bucatini or elbow macaroni 450 g
- 1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese 250 ml
- ground pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- To make the meat sauce, heat the butter in a skillet over moderate heat and saute the onion until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the beef and lamb and saute until browned.
- Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
- Cook covered over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to make the béchamel sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan over moderate heat.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
- Remove from the heat and stir some of the milk mixture into the beaten eggs.
- Stir the egg mixture into the milk mixture and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the pasta in salted water until slightly under-done, about 8 minutes.
- Drain and place half the cooked pasta in a greased 3-quart (3 L) baking dish.
- Sprinkle with half the cheese and spread all of the meat sauce over the top.
- Add the remaining pasta, all of the béchamel sauce, and the remaining cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven until the top is browned and bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before cutting into serving portions.
Nutrition
Calories: 797kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 301mg | Sodium: 1206mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g
