Recipe: Pastitsio – the Greek Answer to Italian Lasagna

Pastitsio is the Greek answer to Italian lasagna, but what sets it apart from the Italian version is mostly the use of numerous aromatic spices in the meat ragù. The other difference is that pastitsio uses a thick, long pasta with a hole, topped by a hearty cheesy béchamel instead of the flat Italian lasagna.

Actually, pastitsio is the same as Egyptian macaroni with béchamel and Australia’s “Mexican lasagna.”

Authentic pastitsio uses either a very thick bucatini type of pasta or ziti. If you are near a Greek grocery, and they carry the MISKO brand of pasta, ask for “Pastitsio pasta No. 2,” which is thicker than standard Italian bucatini. You will get the proper, traditional size of pasta for your pastitsio.

The dish is layered, starting with a layer of pasta, a layer of the hearty meat sauce, another layer of pasta, another layer of meat sauce, and finally topped with the béchamel. It slices neatly with the layers clearly visible, and the tubular Greek bucatini-style pasta is also very discernible.

However, you can also use only two layers of pasta and a single, thicker, layer of meat sauce between the pasta layers. The layering differs regionally in Greece.

The meat ragù is ground chuck or another inexpensive beef cut, ground and cooked in tomato and red wine with onions, garlic, and aromatics of cinnamon, ground cloves, and a dash of nutmeg. I will usually add a couple of bay leaves in the sauce, which I remove before building the pastitsio. But that’s my personal taste, not traditional.

The béchamel is made with all-purpose flour cooked in butter and thickened with milk, plus eggs and cheese to create a creamy white sauce that serves as the topping for this dish. It should just brown in the oven. Don’t let it burn!

First, prepare each component of the dish – cook the pasta, make the meat sauce, and make the béchamel.

Making the meat sauce is really no different than making a good Bolognese. It’s very straightforward, but there are two important differences: The cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The aroma from these spices is what makes the meat sauce Greek, rather than an ordinary Bolognese.

And the sauce is much thicker. This is intentional so that the sauce can stand comfortably between the pasta layers rather than seep through them. This is how you get proper layering.

Unlike a Bolognese, the pastitsio sauce needs to be simmered for a good hour to reduce it and make it thick enough. The added bonus is that the long simmering makes the beef tender and intensifies the taste of the sauce.

Time permitting, let the meat sauce cool before layering over the pasta. It thickens and holds together better when cooled first.

To most Greeks, any dish with pasta, a meat sauce, and béchamel topping screams comfort food!

Tomato/Meat Sauce:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 chopped yellow or white onion (about a cup)

1/3 cup diced carrots

1/3 cup celery

1 pound lean ground beef, chuck preferred

1 pound lean ground lamb

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon minced garlic (2-3 large cloves)

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in purée

1 tablespoon tomato paste, diluted in 1/4 cup of water

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Béchamel:

3 extra-large eggs, beaten Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago, Kefalotiri or aged Kasseri cheese

Method for the meat sauce:

1. Add olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until softened about 4-5 minutes.
2. Stir in the ground beef and lamb, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, and cook for about 10-12 minutes until cooked through.
3. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan. Cook it for a few minutes until most of the wine has evaporated.
4. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and spices until well-incorporated.
5. Stir in the sugar, canned tomatoes (if using whole tomatoes, crush them up a bit when added to the pot), and tomato paste diluted in a little water. Bring to a boil. Once simmering, turn the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer with the lid on until the sauce has cooked down and most of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside.

Method for the béchamel:

1. Whisk the 3 eggs together in a bowl, and set aside.
2. Make the béchamel by adding butter to a medium pot over medium-low heat. When the butter has melted, add the flour, and whisk constantly until a paste forms.
3. Stir in the milk in 1/2 cup increments, whisking constantly after each addition to make sure the sauce doesn’t get lumpy.
4. Continue whisking, and add in salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Whisk in the cream and shredded cheese until combined.
6. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the whisked eggs, whisking quickly to combine and make sure the eggs don’t get lumpy.
7. Put back on low heat for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, and continue whisking. The sauce should be smooth and of the consistency of a cheese sauce. Set aside.

Assemble and bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the pasta in a 9×13 baking dish, arranging the noodles facing the same way and making the layer as level as you can.
3. Add the meat sauce as the next layer and smooth out the surface.
4. Place the second pasta layer the same way as the first.
5. If you’re creating a triple-layer pastitsio, add the second layer of meat sauce.
6. Place the third layer of pasta just as the first two. 
7. Pour the béchamel sauce over the top pasta layer, and gently smooth out the surface.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. You can always broil for a minute or so on low toward the end of the baking time to help the crust turn golden.
9. Let the pasta cool for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Store any leftovers in a sealed container in your fridge for up to four days. The pastitsio is still delicious when reheated. Enjoy!