Name: Pastitsio
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 lb ziti; to taste kosher salt; 1.5 lb ground beef; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion; 4 clove garlic; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 0.5 cup dry red wine; 1 can canned crushed tomatoes; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp ground allspice; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 leaf bay leaves; to taste black pepper; 1 cup parmesan cheese; 3 large eggs; 6 tbsp unsalted butter; 6 tbsp all-purpose flour; 3 cup whole milk; 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg

← Recipes · Baked · Pastitsio

640 cal34g protein50g carbs33g fat720mg sodium

Estimated, per serving — stays per-serving no matter how many you cook for.

From scratch100 min activeShortcut85 min active

Everyday 25nothing beyond the everyday cabinet

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Pastitsio

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Baked100 minComfortable cook

Serves−8+· written for 8 — change it and the ingredients follow

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Ingredients

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ziti1 lb

kosher saltplus extra for the pasta waterto taste

ground beef1.5 lb

olive oil2 tbsp

yellow onionfinely diced1 medium

garlicminced4 cloves

tomato paste3 tbsp

dry red wine0.5 cups

canned crushed tomatoes28 oz1 can

ground cinnamon1 tsp

ground allspice0.5 tsp

dried oregano1 tsp

bay leaves2 leaves

black pepperto taste

parmesan cheesefinely grated; half goes in the pasta, half in the béchamel1 cup

eggs1 lightly beaten for the pasta, 2 for the béchamel3 large

unsalted butter6 tbsp

all-purpose flour6 tbsp

whole milkwarmed3 cups

ground nutmeg0.25 tsp

Cook it to

Ground beef160°F / 71°C

USDA minimum internal temperatures. Measure at the thickest part, away from bone.

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Goes well with

Most sides finish faster than the main — start the quick ones last so everything lands hot.

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Steps

1Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.

2Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef with a good pinch of salt, break it up, and brown it until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Spoon off excess fat if the pan looks greasy.

3Stir in the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, until the paste darkens a shade.

4Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits. Let it bubble until nearly gone, then add the crushed tomatoes, cinnamon, allspice, oregano, bay leaves, and pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and not at all soupy. Pull out the bay leaves and taste for salt.

5While the sauce simmers, boil the ziti 2 minutes short of the package time so it stays firm. Drain well and let it steam dry for a couple of minutes in the colander.

6Toss the ziti with half the parmesan and 1 beaten egg. Spread it in an even layer across the baking dish and press it down lightly.

7Spoon the meat sauce over the pasta and smooth it to the edges.

8Make the béchamel: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook 2 minutes without letting it brown. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, a splash at a time, until smooth. Cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Take it off the heat and stir in the nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and the remaining parmesan.

9Let the béchamel cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the 2 remaining eggs until smooth so they don't scramble. Pour it over the meat layer and spread it to the edges.

10Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is puffed, set, and deeply golden in spots. If it hasn't colored, run it under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.

11Rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting so the layers set. Cut into squares and serve.