Culinaro markculinaro

Greek Pastitsio
5.0 (1)
90 min.
Ingredients
  • 450 g bucatini
  • penne or ziti pasta
  • 110 g feta cheese
  • 2 egg whites
  • For the meat sauce:
  • 900 g ground beef
  • 2 medium red onions (finely chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 150 ml red wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 whole clove
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • For the béchamel sauce:
  • 120 g all-purpose flour
  • 120 g butter
  • 1000 ml milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 50 g Kefalotyri or Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
  • salt to taste
  • 50 g Kefalotyri or Parmigiano-Reggiano for sprinkling
Preparation
  1. Start by making the meat sauce. In a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil and chopped onions, sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, tomato paste, and ground beef. Break the meat with a wooden spoon and fry for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Pour in red wine and let it evaporate. Then add canned tomatoes, sugar, cinnamon, clove, bay leaf, and season.
  4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 30 minutes until most juices evaporate. Discard bay leaf, clove, and cinnamon.
  5. Prepare the béchamel sauce by melting butter in a pan over low-medium heat. Add flour, stirring continuously to form a paste. Gradually add warmed milk, stirring to avoid lumps.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and grated cheese. Mix quickly to avoid cooking the eggs.
  7. Cook pasta for 2-3 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and mix with egg whites and crumbled feta cheese.
  8. In a greased baking dish, layer pasta, meat sauce, and top with béchamel. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 40 minutes until golden brown.
18/05/22
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