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A small portion of Pastitsio on a black plate.

Pastitsio

Chef Jenn
Greek Pastitsio is a hearty, layered casserole filled with pasta, savory beef, and a rich, creamy béchamel sauce. It's just the thing for family dinners, gatherings, or prepping ahead for busy nights!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 8
Calories 644 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 14 ounces uncooked penne  or pennette pasta
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 ½ cup parmesan cheese divided
  • 1 ½ pound lean ground beef
  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • freshly ground pepper

for the sauce

  • ½ cup butter cubed
  • ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups milk whole milk or 2%
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • white pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  • Cook the pasta until very al dente; drain and toss with butter and ½ cup Parmesan. Spread evenly in the dish.
  • Heat the milk. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, then whisk in the hot milk until smooth and thickened. Season with salt and white pepper.
  • Temper the eggs with a little hot sauce, then whisk back into the béchamel. Pour over the casserole and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup Parmesan.
  • Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 40 minutes more, until golden and bubbling. Rest 10–15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Chef Jenn's Tips

  • This dish can be assembled ahead of time and baked when ready to serve. If baking from the fridge, add a little extra time to the cooking.
  • I prefer using pennette, a smaller version of penne, but any short pasta shape will work.
  • Pastitsio freezes well, making it a great make-ahead dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 644kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 39gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 600mgPotassium: 751mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 968IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 413mgIron: 4mg

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.

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