Pasta Casserole (Pastitsio)
This recipe for pastitsio has been improved on over the generations. The reason why this is cooked on the stove top & only browned in the oven is that in Greek villages there was a shared village oven. So dishes like these were popular as they could be browned after the bread had been baked.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 750 g minced meat
- 400–450 g canned chopped tomatoes
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon beef stock powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 egg, beaten lightly
- 100 g butter
- ½ cup plain flour
- 3½ cups milk
- 1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- 250 g macaroni pasta (or Greek pastitsio noodles)
- 2 eggs, beaten lightly
- ¾ cup grated fresh Parmesan or Feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons stale breadcrumbs
Instructions
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1Heat olive oil in pan. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent.
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2Add the minced meat, and cook until well browned.
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3Add the chopped canned tomatoes, liquid and all.
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4Add the tomato paste, water, wine, beef stock powder, and cinnamon powder. Simmer uncovered until it becomes thick in consistency.
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5Once thick transfer into a mixing bowl to cool.
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6Once cool, stir in egg.
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7Melt the butter in pan.
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8Add the flour, and stir well over heat until bubbling.
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9Remove pan from heat, and gradually add the milk. The mixture will become thick and will then thin again.
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10Return pan to heat, and cook until sauce bubbles then thickens.
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11Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
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12Transfer to mixing bowl and cool slightly.
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13Mix in the egg yolks.
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14Boil the pasta as per directions on packet until tender.
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15Drain pasta, and transfer to mixing bowl.
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16Mix the hot pasta with the Parmesan cheese and eggs.
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17Grease baking dish.
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18Press pasta mix into base of pan.
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19Top pasta mix with the meat sauce.
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20Pour the Bechamel sauce over the meat sauce, then smooth the top.
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21Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.
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22In a preheated oven, bake at 180°C (350°F) for 1 hour until golden brown.
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23Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Cuisine
- Greek
Recipe Attribution
Wikibooks Cookbook
Printed from recipe.exchange
https://recipe.exchange/recipes/wb-70925
Printed on October 30, 2026