Pastitsio
Layered Greek pasta bake with ground beef ragù, creamy béchamel, and tubular pasta, enriched with red wine and bay leaf.
3,000ml
2tsp
1piece
2clove
3tbsp
120ml
2tbsp
1tsp
0.5tsp
1tsp
2piece
1tsp
65g
60g
700ml
1pinch
2piece
80g| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 3,000ml | — | — | |
| 2 | | 2tsp | — | — | |
| 3 | 400g | — | — | ||
| 4 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 5 | | 2clove | — | — | |
| 6 | | 3tbsp | — | — | |
| 7 | 500g | — | — | ||
| 8 | | 120ml | — | — | |
| 9 | | 2tbsp | — | — | |
| 10 | 400g | — | — | ||
| 11 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 12 | | 0.5tsp | — | — | |
| 13 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 14 | | 2piece | — | — | |
| 15 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 16 | | 65g | — | — | |
| 17 | | 60g | — | — | |
| 18 | | 700ml | — | — | |
| 19 | | 1pinch | — | — | |
| 20 | | 2piece | — | — | |
| 21 | | 80g | — | — |
Set the oven to 180 °C and allow it to heat fully before you bake.
Pour the water into the large saucepan and set it over high heat.
Water · 3,000 ml
Add the salt to the water and bring to a rolling boil.
Salt · 1 tspBring the salted water to a full rolling boil over high heat.
Tip the tubular pasta into the boiling salted water.
Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet instruction so it remains firm, then remove from the heat.
Tip the pasta into a colander and drain thoroughly, then set aside.
Peel the onion on the board, removing the papery outer layers.
White onion · 1 piece
Finely chop the peeled onion into small, even pieces.
Sweep the chopped onion into a small bowl and set aside.
Peel the garlic cloves on the board.
Garlic · 2 cloveMince the peeled garlic cloves to a fine paste with the flat of the knife.
Scrape the minced garlic into a second small bowl and set aside.
Pour the olive oil into the large frying pan and set it over medium heat.
Extra-virgin olive oil · 3 tbsp
Add the finely chopped onion to the hot oil.
Stir the onion with a wooden spoon over medium heat for about 7 minutes until it is soft and translucent.
Add the minced garlic to the softened onion and stir well.
Stir constantly for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not coloured.
Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it up with the wooden spoon.
Cook the mince over medium-high heat, breaking up any lumps, until it is deeply browned all over with no pink remaining.
Pour the red wine into the pan and let it sizzle up around the meat.
Dry red wine · 120 mlStir and let the wine bubble until it has almost completely evaporated.
Stir the tomato paste into the mince and coat it through the meat.
Tomato paste · 2 tbspPour the canned chopped tomatoes into the pan and stir to combine.
Sprinkle the ground cinnamon over the sauce.
Ground cinnamon · 1 tspAdd the ground allspice to the pan.
Ground allspice · 0.5 tspCrumble in the dried oregano, rubbing it between your fingers as it goes.
Dried oregano · 1 tspTuck the bay leaves into the sauce.
Bay leaf · 2 pieceSeason the meat sauce with the salt.
Salt · 0.5 tspAdd the ground black pepper to the sauce and stir everything together.
Ground black pepper · 0.5 tspReduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce uncovered for 20 minutes until it is thick and rich, then discard the bay leaves.
Put the butter into the medium saucepan over medium heat.
Unsalted butter · 60 g
Allow the butter to melt fully, swirling the pan so it coats the base.
Add the flour all at once to the melted butter.
Plain flour · 60 gBeat the flour into the butter with a wooden spoon over medium heat, stirring constantly for 1½ minutes until it smells biscuity and pulls away from the sides.
Pour the milk into the roux in a slow, steady stream, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps.
Whole milk · 700 mlWhisk the sauce continuously over medium heat for about 8 minutes until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily.
Season the béchamel with the salt.
Salt · 0.5 tspAdd the black pepper to the béchamel.
Ground black pepper · 0.5 tspGrate in a pinch of nutmeg and stir it through.
Ground nutmeg · 1 pinchRemove the pan from the heat and leave the béchamel to cool for 5 minutes so it is no longer boiling hot.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl, discarding the shells.
Egg · 2 pieceBeat the eggs lightly with a fork until the whites and yolks are fully combined.
Pour the beaten eggs into the warm béchamel in a thin stream, whisking constantly so they temper without scrambling.
Whisk the egg-enriched béchamel until smooth and well combined.
Grate the kefalotyri on the coarse side of the grater into a small bowl.
Kefalotyri cheese · 80 g
Brush the inside of the baking dish (about 30 × 20 cm) all over with butter so the pastitsio will release cleanly.
Unsalted butter · 5 g
Spread the drained pasta in an even layer across the base of the greased baking dish, pressing it lightly to compact it.
Spoon the meat sauce evenly over the pasta layer, spreading it to the edges.
Scatter half the grated kefalotyri evenly over the meat sauce layer.
Pour the enriched béchamel over the top, tilting the dish gently so it flows into an even, smooth layer that covers the meat completely.
Scatter the remaining grated kefalotyri over the béchamel surface.
Slide the baking dish into the oven.
Bake for 45 minutes until the béchamel is set, deeply golden and beginning to colour at the edges.
Lift the baking dish from the oven using oven gloves and set it on a heatproof surface.
Leave the pastitsio to rest for 10 minutes so the layers firm up and it cuts cleanly.
Cut the pastitsio into 4 equal portions directly in the dish, pressing straight down through all the layers.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | | Set the oven to 180 °C and allow it to heat fully before you bake.⏱ 10 min |
| 2 | 3,000 ml | | Pour the water into the large saucepan and set it over high heat.⏱ 10sResultWater |
| 3 | 1 tsp | | Add the salt to the water and bring to a rolling boil.⏱ 5sResultWater and salt |
| 4 | — | | Bring the salted water to a full rolling boil over high heat.⏱ 10 minResultSalt water |
| 5 | 400 g | | Tip the tubular pasta into the boiling salted water.⏱ 10sResultSalt water and tubular pasta |
| 6 | — | | Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet instruction so it remains firm, then remove from the heat.⏱ 9 minResultPar-cooked pasta |
| 7 | Par-cooked pastastep 6 | | Tip the pasta into a colander and drain thoroughly, then set aside.⏱ 20sResultDrained par-cooked pastaused in step 48 |
| 8 | 1 piece | | Peel the onion on the board, removing the papery outer layers.⏱ 20sResultPeeled onion |
| 9 | Peeled onionstep 8 | | Finely chop the peeled onion into small, even pieces.⏱ 40sResultFinely chopped white onion |
| 10 | Finely chopped white onionstep 9 | | Sweep the chopped onion into a small bowl and set aside.⏱ 5sResultFinely chopped white onionused in step 15 |
| 11 | 2 clove | | Peel the garlic cloves on the board.⏱ 20sResultPeeled garlic cloves |
| 12 | Peeled garlic clovesstep 11 | | Mince the peeled garlic cloves to a fine paste with the flat of the knife.⏱ 30sResultFinely minced garlic |
| 13 | Finely minced garlicstep 12 | | Scrape the minced garlic into a second small bowl and set aside.⏱ 5sResultFinely minced garlicused in step 17 |
| 14 | 3 tbsp | | Pour the olive oil into the large frying pan and set it over medium heat.⏱ 5sResultMeasured oil |
| 15 | Finely chopped white onionstep 10 | | Add the finely chopped onion to the hot oil.⏱ 5sResultMeasured oil and finely chopped white onion |
| 16 | — | | Stir the onion with a wooden spoon over medium heat for about 7 minutes until it is soft and translucent.⏱ 7 minResultSoftened onion |
| 17 | Finely minced garlicstep 13 | | Add the minced garlic to the softened onion and stir well.⏱ 5sResultFinely minced garlic and softened onion |
| 18 | — | | Stir constantly for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not coloured.⏱ 1 minResultFragrant onion and garlic |
| 19 | 500 g | | Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it up with the wooden spoon.⏱ 10sResultFragrant onion and garlic and ground beef |
| 20 | — | | Cook the mince over medium-high heat, breaking up any lumps, until it is deeply browned all over with no pink remaining.⏱ 8 minResultBrowned mince with onion |
| 21 | 120 ml | | Pour the red wine into the pan and let it sizzle up around the meat.⏱ 5sResultBrowned mince with onion and dry red wine |
| 22 | — | | Stir and let the wine bubble until it has almost completely evaporated.⏱ 1 min 30sResultReduced-wine mince |
| 23 | 2 tbsp | | Stir the tomato paste into the mince and coat it through the meat.⏱ 5sResultReduced-wine mince and tomato paste |
| 24 | 400 g | | Pour the canned chopped tomatoes into the pan and stir to combine.⏱ 5sResultReduced-wine mince and tomato paste and canned chopped tomatoes |
| 25 | 1 tsp | | Sprinkle the ground cinnamon over the sauce.⏱ 5sResultTomato paste and canned chopped tomato mixture |
| 26 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the ground allspice to the pan.⏱ 5sResultTomato paste and canned chopped tomato mixture |
| 27 | 1 tsp | | Crumble in the dried oregano, rubbing it between your fingers as it goes.⏱ 5sResultTomato paste and canned chopped tomato mixture |
| 28 | 2 piece | | Tuck the bay leaves into the sauce.⏱ 5sResultTomato paste and canned chopped tomato mixture |
| 29 | 0.5 tsp | | Season the meat sauce with the salt.⏱ 5sResultTomato paste and canned chopped tomato mixture |
| 30 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the ground black pepper to the sauce and stir everything together.⏱ 5sResultTomato paste and canned chopped tomato mixture |
| 31 | — | | Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce uncovered for 20 minutes until it is thick and rich, then discard the bay leaves.⏱ 20 minResultMeat sauceused in step 49 |
| 32 | 60 g | | Put the butter into the medium saucepan over medium heat.⏱ 5sResultUnsalted butter |
| 33 | — | | Allow the butter to melt fully, swirling the pan so it coats the base.⏱ 1 minResultMelted butter |
| 34 | 60 g | | Add the flour all at once to the melted butter.⏱ 5sResultUncooked roux |
| 35 | — | | Beat the flour into the butter with a wooden spoon over medium heat, stirring constantly for 1½ minutes until it smells biscuity and pulls away from the sides.⏱ 1 min 30sResultPale roux |
| 36 | 700 ml | | Pour the milk into the roux in a slow, steady stream, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps.⏱ 10sResultPale roux and whole milk |
| 37 | — | | Whisk the sauce continuously over medium heat for about 8 minutes until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily.⏱ 8 minResultSmooth béchamel sauce |
| 38 | 0.5 tsp | | Season the béchamel with the salt.⏱ 5sResultSmooth béchamel sauce and salt |
| 39 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the black pepper to the béchamel.⏱ 5sResultSmooth béchamel sauce and salt and ground black pepper |
| 40 | 1 pinch | | Grate in a pinch of nutmeg and stir it through.⏱ 5sResultSmooth béchamel sauce and salt mixture |
| 41 | — | | Remove the pan from the heat and leave the béchamel to cool for 5 minutes so it is no longer boiling hot.⏱ 5 minResultSeasoned béchamel |
| 42 | 2 piece | | Crack the eggs into a small bowl, discarding the shells.⏱ 10sResultEgg |
| 43 | — | | Beat the eggs lightly with a fork until the whites and yolks are fully combined.⏱ 20sResultBeaten egg |
| 44 | Beaten eggstep 43 | | Pour the beaten eggs into the warm béchamel in a thin stream, whisking constantly so they temper without scrambling.⏱ 10sResultBeaten egg and seasoned béchamel |
| 45 | — | | Whisk the egg-enriched béchamel until smooth and well combined.⏱ 30sResultEnriched béchamelused in step 51 |
| 46 | 80 g | | Grate the kefalotyri on the coarse side of the grater into a small bowl.⏱ 40sResultGrated kefalotyriused in step 50 |
| 47 | 5 g | | Brush the inside of the baking dish (about 30 × 20 cm) all over with butter so the pastitsio will release cleanly.⏱ 15s |
| 48 | Drained par-cooked pastastep 7 | | Spread the drained pasta in an even layer across the base of the greased baking dish, pressing it lightly to compact it.⏱ 1 minResultSpread pasta |
| 49 | Meat saucestep 31 | | Spoon the meat sauce evenly over the pasta layer, spreading it to the edges.⏱ 20sResultMeat-sauce-topped pasta |
| 50 | Grated kefalotyristep 46 | | Scatter half the grated kefalotyri evenly over the meat sauce layer.⏱ 15sResultCheese-sprinkled pastitsioused in step 52 |
| 51 | Enriched béchamelstep 45 | | Pour the enriched béchamel over the top, tilting the dish gently so it flows into an even, smooth layer that covers the meat completely.⏱ 20sResultAssembled pastitsio |
| 52 | Remaining grated kefalotyristep 50 | | Scatter the remaining grated kefalotyri over the béchamel surface.⏱ 10sResultBéchamel-topped pastitsio |
| Assembled pastitsiostep 51 | |||
| 53 | — | | Slide the baking dish into the oven.⏱ 10sResultBéchamel-topped pastitsio |
| 54 | — | | Bake for 45 minutes until the béchamel is set, deeply golden and beginning to colour at the edges.⏱ 45 minResultBaked pastitsio |
| 55 | — | | Lift the baking dish from the oven using oven gloves and set it on a heatproof surface.⏱ 10sResultBaked pastitsio |
| 56 | — | | Leave the pastitsio to rest for 10 minutes so the layers firm up and it cuts cleanly.⏱ 10 minResultRested baked pastitsio |
| 57 | — | | Cut the pastitsio into 4 equal portions directly in the dish, pressing straight down through all the layers.⏱ 30sResultPortioned pastitsio |
| Total Time | 1 hr 47 min | ||
- Lift each portion with a wide spatula onto a warm dinner plate, keeping the layers intact.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 1,245kcal | |
| 52g | |
| 66g | |
| 29g | |
| 102g | |
| 17g | |
| 6g | |
| 1,061mg |
Pastitsio
Layered Greek pasta bake with ground beef ragù, creamy béchamel, and tubular pasta, enriched with red wine and bay leaf.
What you’ll doYou will cook pasta until just firm, build a spiced meat sauce that simmers to richness, make a béchamel and temper eggs into it, then layer pasta, meat and sauce, cheese, and béchamel in a baking dish before baking until golden. The procedure involves two pans going at once for the final stages, so you will need to manage timing carefully.
Ingredients
- Water3,000 ml
- Salt2 tsp
- Tubular pasta400 g
- White onion1 piece
- Garlic2 clove
- Extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- Ground beef500 g
- Dry red wine120 ml
- Tomato paste2 tbsp
- Chopped tomatoes400 g
- Ground cinnamon1 tsp
- Ground allspice0.5 tsp
- Dried oregano1 tsp
- Bay leaf2 piece
- Ground black pepper1 tsp
- Unsalted butter65 g
- Plain flour60 g
- Whole milk700 ml
- Ground nutmeg1 pinch
- Egg2 piece
- Kefalotyri cheese80 g