Pastitsio is a traditional Greek pasta bake made with penne pasta, ground beef, and a creamy bchamel sauce on top. This dish is warm and comforting, and it's great to share with family and friends.
Ingredients: 500g penne pasta. 500g ground beef. 1 onion, finely chopped. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 1 can 400g crushed tomatoes. 1/2 cup tomato paste. 1/2 cup red wine optional. 2 teaspoons dried oregano. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Salt and pepper to taste. 3 cups grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese. 4 cups milk. 1/2 cup unsalted butter. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. 2 eggs. 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Olive oil for greasing.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 180C 350F. Grease a baking dish with olive oil. Cook penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Add chopped onion and garlic, cook until softened. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine if using, dried oregano, ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Remove saucepan from heat. Beat eggs in a small bowl and gradually add them to the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir in nutmeg. Layer half of the cooked penne pasta in the greased baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese. Spread the beef mixture over the cheese layer. Top with the remaining pasta and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Pour the sauce evenly over the top layer of cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbly. Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy your delicious Pastitsio slice!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
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