Pastitsio - Greek Pasta Bake

Dec 26

Pastitsio is a classic Greek comfort food made with layers of pasta, savoury minced meat, and creamy béchamel sauce, all baked to golden perfection. This delicious, hearty dish is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, perfect for family dinners or special occasions.

Ingredients

1 red onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 heaped tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
2 heaped tbsp tomato purée
500g pork mine
500g beef mince
400g chopped tomatoes
120ml red wine
1 1/2 stock cubes (I used beef)

**For the bechamel:**
75g butter
100g plain flour
900ml milk
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt
Grated cheddar cheese or gruyere cheese
500g bucatini tube pasta specifically used for Pastitsio

1 hour 30 mins to prepare and bake | makes 8-10 portions

Method

Start by preparing the mince by frying the chopped red onion in olive oil over a medium heat. After 2 minutes, add the seasonings and tomato purée and continue stirring. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the onions have softened.
Add the mince meats and stir. Cook until they brown (this will take about 10 minutes over a medium heat).
Add the chopped tomatoes, red wine and stock and stir through. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until the wine has cooked through and the consistency has thickened. Remove the bay leaves and set aside.
Whilst the pasta is boiling, prepare the bechamel. Melt the butter on a low heat and whisk through the flour until fully incorporated.
Slowly pour the milk in batches and continuously whisk. This will create a creamy and smooth texture. Continue whisking on a low heat until the bechamel sauce thickens. This will take about 5-6 minutes.
Stir through the nutmeg and salt and set aside.
Using a wide baking dish (one that you would cook lasagne in), layer the Pastitsio by adding the cooked pasta at the bottom (you can drizzle some olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking), then the layer of mince meat, then top with the bechamel. Make sure to smooth the bechamel over and top with the grated cheese.
Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden. Leave to cool fully (this may take around 2 hours) before cutting and serving.