Greek Pastitsio
Layers of pasta, spiced ground beef, and creamy béchamel baked until golden. A comforting Greek classic that feeds a crowd with minimal fuss.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 685
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 12 oz short pasta (penne or rigatoni)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2.5 cups whole milk
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 375°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat — the water should roll at a rapid boil, about 8 minutes.
- 3
While the water heats, place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks until no pink remains, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add the diced onion to the beef and stir, cooking until the onion turns translucent and soft, about 3 minutes.
- 5
Sprinkle the dried oregano over the beef mixture and stir for 30 seconds until the kitchen smells strongly fragrant.
- 6
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just tender (al dente), about 2 minutes less than the package says, then drain in a colander.
- 7
In a separate small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute until it looks like wet sand.
- 8
Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture while whisking constantly to prevent lumps, until all milk is incorporated, about 2 minutes.
- 9
Continue cooking the sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes.
- 10
Spread half the cooked pasta in an even layer on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 11
Spread the entire beef mixture in an even layer over the pasta.
- 12
Spread the remaining pasta in an even layer over the beef.
- 13
Pour the warm béchamel sauce over the top pasta layer, using the back of a spoon to spread it evenly so it covers the entire surface.
- 14
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake uncovered until the top is golden brown with darker edges, about 25 minutes.
- 15
Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set.
Tools you’ll need
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- large skillet
- large pot
- small saucepan
- wooden spoon
- whisk
- colander
- oven
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