Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna with Béchamel)
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce (Kima)
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) ground beef or lamb (or a mix of both)
- 60 ml (60ml) olive oil
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 4 -5 garlic cloves, minced
- 240 ml (240ml) dry red wine
- 800 g (28 oz) crushed tomatoes or passata
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 2 -3 whole cloves (or ¼ teaspoon ground cloves)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
- 240 ml (240ml) hot water or beef broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Pasta
- 500 g (1 lb) pastitsio pasta (or bucatini, or thick spaghetti)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 egg whites (reserve yolks for béchamel)
- 120 ml (60g) grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese
For the Béchamel Topping
- 240 ml (230g) unsalted butter
- 240 ml (125g) all-purpose flour
- 960 ml (1 litre) whole milk, warm
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 240 ml (120g) grated kefalotyri, graviera, or Parmesan cheese
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
For Assembly
- 120 ml (60g) grated cheese (for sprinkling between layers)
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
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Add the ground meat. Cook until browned, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, about 8-10 minutes.
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Pour in the red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes.
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Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf, oregano, sugar (if using), salt, pepper, and hot water. Bring to a gentle simmer.
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Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and rich. Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, and bay leaf.
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Preheat your oven to 190 °C (190 °C). Grease a large baking dish (9x33 cm or a deep 10x35½ cm pan).
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pastitsio pasta and cook until al dente (about 2 minutes less than the pac
Notes
Committed to this collection by the hand of Hunter.
