Sekai no Shokutaku
Pasta Casserole (Pastitsio)

Greece / Bread

Wikibooks

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.

Original source ↗

Ingredients

ScaleNo serving count in the source — scale by factor
  • olive oil2 tbsp
  • onion, medium, chopped2
  • minced meat750 g
  • tinned tomatos, chopped400–450 g
  • tomato paste1/3 cup
  • water1/2 cup
  • white wine, dry1/4 cup
  • beef stock powder1 tbsp
  • ground cinnamon1/2 tsp
  • egg, lightly beaten1
  • butter100 g
  • plain flour1/2 cup
  • milk3 1/2 cup
  • parmesan cheese, freshly grated1 cup
  • egg yolks2
  • macaroni, or Greek pastitsio noodles250 g
  • egg, lightly beaten2
  • parmesan cheese, freshly grated; or feta cheese3/4 cup
  • breadcrumbs, stale2 tbsp

Method 23 steps

  1. Heat olive oil in pan. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent.

  2. Add the minced meat, and cook until well browned.

  3. Add the chopped canned tomatoes, liquid and all.

  4. Add the tomato paste, water, wine, beef stock powder, and cinnamon powder. Simmer uncovered until it becomes thick in consistency.

  5. Once thick transfer into a mixing bowl to cool.

  6. Once cool, stir in egg.

  7. Melt the butter in pan.

  8. Add the flour, and stir well over heat until bubbling.

  9. Remove pan from heat, and gradually add the milk. The mixture will become thick and will then thin again.

  10. Return pan to heat, and cook until sauce bubbles then thickens.

  11. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.

  12. Transfer to mixing bowl and cool slightly.

  13. Mix in the egg yolks.

  14. Boil the pasta as per directions on packet until tender.

  15. Drain pasta, and transfer to mixing bowl.

  16. Mix the hot pasta with the Parmesan cheese and eggs.

  17. Grease baking dish.

  18. Press pasta mix into base of pan.

  19. Top pasta mix with the meat sauce.

  20. Pour the Bechamel sauce over the meat sauce, then smooth the top.

  21. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.

  22. In a preheated oven, bake at 180°C (350°F) for 1 hour until golden brown.

  23. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients in this dish

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