Greek Baked Pastitsio
A classic Greek pasta dish made with ground meat and a rich bechamel sauce, all topped with a layer of melted cheese and baked to perfection.
Ingredients
- ●500g Ground meat80% beef, 20% pork
- ●8-10 sheets Lasagna noodlespreferably homemade
- ●1 cup Tomato saucehomemade or store-bought
- ●1 cup Béchamel saucesee below for recipe
- ●200g Mozzarella cheeseshredded
- ●100g Parmesan cheesegrated
- ●1 Eggbeaten
- ●to taste Saltpreferably sea salt
- ●to taste Black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- 2
Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- 3
In a large skillet, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until browned, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.
- 4
Add the tomato sauce to the skillet and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for a few minutes until heated through.
- 5
In a separate saucepan, make the béchamel sauce by melting 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
- 6
Add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is lightly golden.
- 7
Slowly pour in 1 cup of milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
- 8
Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook until it thickens, stirring occasionally.
- 9
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese until melted.
- 10
In a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles, meat sauce, and béchamel sauce. Mix well to combine.
- 11
Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- 12
Bake the pastitsio in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- 13
Remove the pastitsio from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.