Pastitsio - Greek Lasagna
Recipe for PastitsioA classic Greek lasagna with macaroni, flavorful meat sauce, and a delicious creamy béchamel sauce. Serve it with a Greek salad.
Ingredients
- 400 g macaroni
- 50 g parmesan cheese
- 3 egg whites
Meat Sauce:
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 800 g ground beef
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2.5 deciliters red wine
- 1.5 deciliters water
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 beef stock cube
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1.5 tsp salt or to taste
- Pepper
Béchamel:
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g butter
- 100 g parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp nutmeg or to taste
- 1.5 tsp salt
- Pepper
- 1 liter milk possibly a bit extra to thin it if it becomes too thick
- 3 egg yolks
Instructions
Meat Sauce:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the ground meat and brown it over high heat.4 tbsp olive oil, 800 g ground beef
- Once the meat is browned, add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté them with the meat until the onions become translucent. Add the tomato paste and sauté for about 1 minute.1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp tomato paste
- Then, add the red wine, water, chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, allspice, cloves, cinnamon sticks, beef stock, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer uncovered for about 1 hour over low heat.2.5 deciliters red wine, 1.5 deciliters water, 2 cans chopped tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, 2 tsp oregano, ¼ tsp ground allspice, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 beef stock cube, 1.5 tsp salt, Pepper, 2 tsp sugar
- While the sauce simmers, prepare the béchamel sauce and macaroni.When the sauce is done simmering, taste it one last time, turn off the heat, and remove the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks.
Béchamel Sauce and Macaroni:
- While the sauce is simmering, prepare the béchamel sauce and macaroni:Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook it according to the package instructions. When it's al dente, drain it in a colander and set it aside.400 g macaroni
- In another large saucepan with a thick bottom, melt the butter. Add the flour and sauté it over medium heat for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk.100 g all-purpose flour, 100 g butter, 1 liter milk
- Once all the milk is whisked in and the sauce is thick and creamy, lightly whisk 3 egg yolks in a bowl. Add about 1 deciliter of the hot sauce to the egg yolks while whisking, then pour it back into the sauce while stirring.3 egg yolks
- Add the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to the sauce. Taste it once more. Reduce the heat to low and let it sit until needed.100 g parmesan cheese, 1.5 tsp salt, Pepper, ¼ tsp nutmeg
Assembly and Cooking:
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit), using both upper and lower heat.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites. Add the slightly cooled macaroni, about 2 deciliters of the finished meat sauce, and half of the grated Parmesan. Mix it thoroughly. Once mixed, transfer it to an oiled baking dish, approximately 35 x 24 x 7 cm (14 x 9.5 x 2.75 inches).3 egg whites
- Spread the remaining meat sauce over the macaroni and level the surface. Now, distribute the béchamel sauce over the meat sauce and level it again. I typically use a pastry scraper for this.
- Finish by spreading the remaining grated Parmesan over the béchamel sauce layer. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit) for 50 minutes to 1 hour. You can increase the heat towards the end if you feel it needs more color on top.50 g parmesan cheese
- Once it's done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
Preparation:
Try to time it so that all the individual parts finish at the same time. That being said, you can certainly make the meat sauce the day before to save time.Nutrition
Serving: 1personCalories: 880kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 40gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 199mgSodium: 1712mgPotassium: 966mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 991IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 485mgIron: 5mg
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