Published: · Modified: by Makos
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The Pastit*io (or Pastichio) is a traditional Greek lasagna recipe made in a casserole dish consisting of layers of pasta, ground meat sauce (similar to Bolognese) and a creamy béchamel sauce.
It’s ideal for a delicious Sunday dinner and it also freezes very well.
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Variations and layers
- Make Ahead
- Storing and Freezing
- 📖 Recipe
Nothing speaksfamily dinnerbetter than Pastit*io! You may also know it as Greek pasta bake, and you certainly know that this is the food to serve to your loved ones when you want to offer them ahearty and cozy dinner.
There aren’t enough words to describe this great recipe! It's probably the most loved pasta dish of Greek cuisine and that's why you can find it in the menu of most Greek restaurants.
This ultimate Greek comfort food consists of 3 different components: a cooked pasta at the bottom of the pan, an aromatic meat sauce in the middle and a velvety béchamel sauce which coats the casserole like a warm and fluffy blanket.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for this traditional pastit*io recipe is relatively big, but don't be afraid, you already have most of them in you pantry.
For the meat sauce:
- Ground beef (sometimes mixed with ground lamb)
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Carrot
- Bay leaf
- Cinnamon stick
- Ground cloves (or whole)
- Dry red wine (or rose)
- Tomato paste
- Pureed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
- Salt and freshly grated black pepper (to taste)
- Ground allspice (optional)
For the pasta:
- Pastit*io Macaroni pasta No2 (or bucatini or penne pasta)
- Grated yellow Greek cheese like Kefalotyri cheese or Graviera (Cheddar and Parmesan cheese will also do. Please no feta cheese!)
- Salt (for the water)
For the béchamel sauce:
- All-purpose flour
- Olive oil (or melted butter)
- Nutmeg
- Salt
- Milk
- Large eggs
- Grated Kefalotyri cheese (or another Greek cheese like Graviera or even Cheddar, Parmesan cheese)
Instructions
You can read the instructions more analytically in the recipe card.
The basic steps are:
1.Make the meat sauce
2.Boil the pasta
3.Make the Bechamel sauce
4.Build the Pastit*io and bake it in the oven
The meat sauce
The basic ingredient for the meat sauce isbeef. This sauce is much like thismom’s Bolognese sauce for pastabut it’s usually made with less tomato and not all the spices.
Also, it should not have too much moisture, so you’ll have to simmer it slowly over low heat until almost all of the liquid is evaporated. If you're in a hurry and the sauce is not fully ready yet, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of ground rusks, to absorb the extra liquid.
Inevitably, you’ll have some moisture left, which during baking, will drip down at the bottom of the pan and give extra flavor to the pasta.
The type of pasta
Traditionally, a type of hollow tubular pasta called Pastit*io macaroni pasta No.2 is used for this recipe in Greece, that's why you can find it in every Greek super market.
Alternatively, you can use thick bucattini pasta, which is another type of tubular pasta, like long and thick spaghetti with a hole in the middle. Thiswhole chicken cacciatore stewrecipe uses bucattini pasta. If you can't find bucattini, your next best option ispenne pasta.
Cook the pasta al dente. When you bite it, you should be able to feel some resistance. Because the pasta will continue cooking in the oven, boiling it for 2-3 minutes less is recommended.
Flavor the pasta with some grated cheese. Cheese will also act as a glue and will bind the pasta together, holding each piece intact for prettier serving.
The Bechamel sauce (white sauce)
I like to make my béchamel with olive oil but you can also melt butter. Make sure to cook the flour with the oil until it starts to smellnutty. This will give extra flavor to your sauce.
The Bechamel should be pourable, and not thick like plaster! A general rule for the best texture is to use 4 cups (1 litre) of milk for every 100 grams of flour.
There are many ways you can make acreamy béchamel without lumps. Some people like to add the milk cold and all at once.
What works for me is to use room temperature milk andremove the pan from the heat before adding the milk. I add the milk gradually and whisk constantly, until a smooth mixture is formed. At first the mixture thickens a lot, but as I add more milk it loosens up. I then return the pot to the heat and cook, whisking constantly, until it starts to bubble.
Nutmeg is one of the most important bechamel ingredients, so try not to omit it!
A couple of eggs are used for the best texture (you don't have to separate the egg yolks from the egg whites) and some grated Greek cheese for extra taste.
**For this recipe, it is best to measure the flour by weight, using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale the right way to measure the flour with a cup according toKingarthurflour.comis to use a spoon and fluff up the flour inside the container/bag it is stored, then sprinkle it into your dry-cup measure (the one that measures exactly a cup at the top) and scrape off the excess with a straight edge.
Variations and layers
1. The most commonPastichio layering consists of a pasta layer at the bottom of the pan, following with the meat mixture, following with another layer of pasta and ending with the bechamel sauce.
2. The easiest wayis to mix the pasta with the meat sauce in the casserole dish, level the surface and top with the bechamel sauce.
3. Themodern wayis to have 1 layer of pasta, followed by the meat layer and topped with the bechamel sauce. I prefer this way, with the exception that I keep a small quantity of pasta and arrange it on top of the meat, because I believe that the bechamel sauce adheres better this way.
4.Meat sauce variations. The classic recipe is made with minced beef, but you can also use a mix of beef and ground lamb or pork.
About the ratios:I guess everyone has his own preferences, but for me the ideal ratio for the best Pastit*io is for the pasta, the meat sauce, and the béchamel sauce to have approximatelythe same height. If something can be taller, then that would be the pasta.
Make Ahead
The only downside of this Greek pasta bake recipe is that it's time consuming, meaning it requires a lot of preparation
However with some good scheduling you'll certainly pull it through and the end result will reward you.
So, if you want to make some of the components ahead:
- Themeat saucecan be made 1 or 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge.
- Thebechamel saucecan be made 1 day ahead and kept in the fridge.
- Thepastashould be cooked on the same day.
- Alternatively, you can make the pastit*io 1 day ahead, store it in the fridge and bake it the day you want to serve it.
Storing and Freezing
This recipe will keep well for at least 3-4 days when stored in the fridge inside an airtight container. It is actually better the next day, and you can re-heat it in the microwaves or in the oven wrapped with foil.
It alsofreezes very well.
You can either freeze it before you bake it, or bake it first and then freeze some individual slices.
Freezing before baking:Make the pastit*io in one large casserole dish or two smaller ones. Let it cool completely (in case any of the different components is still warm), and wrap it with plastic wrap.
Sprinkle the surface with grated cheese to ensure that the wrap won't stick to the bechamel sauce. Store in the freezer and thaw the night before baking it.
Freezing baked Pastit*io:Put individual slices if freezer safe containers, let them cool completely and store in the freezer. Thaw from the night before and warm in the microwaves or in the oven.
Similar Recipes
- Greek baked chicken recipe (with potatoes)
- Greek beef stew with orzo pasta (Youvetsi)
- Pitacos – Pita bread tacos with minced beef and beans
- Greek baked giant beans (Gigantes Plaki)
Notes - tips:
- Sauté the minced meat in a wide pan, and let it brown very well before stirring with a wooden spoon. You will gain extra flavor!
- Cook the pasta al dente. That doesn’t mean it should be undercooked, but firm to the tooth. Keep in mind that the pasta will continue cooking in the oven.
- Cook the flour with the oil until it starts to smell nutty. This gives flavor and eliminates theflour-ysmell the béchamel sometimes has.
- Serve the pastit*io with thisGreek cabbage salad (Lahanosalata)
📖 Recipe
Authentic Pastit*io recipe (traditional Greek lasagna)
Makos
The Pastit*io (or Pastichio) is a traditional Greek lasagna recipe made in a casserole dish consisting of layers of pasta, ground meat sauce (similar to Bolognese) and a creamy béchamel sauce.Ideal for Sunday dinner and it also freezes well.
4.84 from 24 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean
Servings 9
Calories 778 kcal
Equipment
1 deep casserole dish at least 14 x 10.5 inches (35.5 x 26 cm) and 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep. or 1 round baking dish 14 inches (35cm) in diameter and 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep
Ingredients
For the meat sauce:
- 2.4 pounds (1100 g) ground beef (or a mix of beef and lamb or pork)
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 large onion, grated or finely chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup (240 g) dry white wine (or rose)
- ¼ cup (60 g) thick tomato paste
- 2 cups (480 g) pureed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice, optional
For the pasta:
- 1 pound (450 g) package pastit*io pasta No2 (or bucatini pasta or penne)
- 1 ½ cups (120 g) grated cheese (Greek Kefalotiri, Cheddar, Parmigiano Reggiano)
- 2 teaspoons fine salt ( for the water for the pasta)
For the béchamel sauce:
- 1.2 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (108 g) olive oil ( or butter)
- Freshly ground nutmeg (about ⅓ of a nutmeg seed)
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine salt
- 6 cups (1460 g) milk, warm
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups (120 g) grated cheese ( Cheddar, Parmigiano Reggiano, Greek Kefalotiri)
Instructions
Make the meat sauce:
Heat a deep pan over high heat and add the oil and the ground beef. Let it brown, without stirring, and when the meat is no longer red, stir with a wooden spatula and break any meat lumps.
Cook until all the juices have evaporated, reduce heat to medium/high and add the onion the carrot, the bay leaves, the cinnamon stick, the allspice and the cloves. Stir for 5 minutes and add the wine. Wait for 1 minute for the alcohol to evaporate and add the tomato paste, the pureed tomatoes, the salt and the pepper.
When it starts to boil again, reduce heat to low and simmer until almost all of the liquids have evaporated (about 30 minutes). Remove and discard the bay leaves and the cinnamon stick.
In the meantime, make the pasta:
Cook the pasta in a pot with salted water, until al dente, according to the packaging directions (because they'll continue cooking in the oven, boiling them for 2-3 minutes less is recommended).
Drain the pasta, mix in the grated cheese and transfer about two-thirds of the pasta to the casserole dish. Level with a spoon and cover with the meat sauce. Level the meat sauce with the back of a spoon and spread the rest of the pasta uniformly over the meat.
Preheat your oven to 374°F (190°C)
Make the béchamel sauce:
Cook the flour with the olive oil in a large pot stirring continuously with a whisk until it starts to smell nutty. Remove from the heat and add the nutmeg and the salt.
Whisk to combine and add the warm milk gradually, whisking constantly to prevent it from forming any lumps. At first the mixture will thicken but as you continue to add the milk it will loosen up.
When all the milk is added, return to the stove and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens. When it starts to bubble, remove from the heat and let it sit on your counter for 5 minutes to cool a little.
Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and the eggs and whisk quickly to combine.
Pour the béchamel sauce over the pasta, level with a spatula and sprinkle the surface with the remaining grated cheese.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the top is golden brown with dark spots all over the surface. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing for easier serving. Eat!
Notes
- The meat sauce can be cooked from the previous day and kept refrigerated.
- This is a large recipe, about 9-10 servings. If you want a smaller quantity, it may be better to divide the pastit*io into two smaller pans and freeze the one for later use.
- For the grated cheese I use a mix of the cheeses listed in the ingredients (but you can also use your favorite type).
- Instead of ground allspice and ground cloves you can use 5 allspice kernels and 5 whole cloves but you’ll have to fish them out of the meat sauce after it’s done.
Casserole Dish: If you use the standard 13x9 inches deep casserole dish, you may have some bechamel sauce left (or you can make less bechamel with 57 grams olive oil, 100 grams flour and 1000 grams milk). Another option is to use a disposable aluminum pan 13.25 x 9.63 x 3.5 inches.
Nutrition
Calories: 778kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Marinka
Stunning pictures and recipe looks very attractive.
Reply
Makos
Thank you very much Marinka! 🙂
Reply
Akhila@Pepper Delight
This looks incredible!!! Never heard of this dish before, but I m pretty sure from your words that it must taste amazing!Reply
Makos
Thank you, Akhila!
This is probably one of the most famous Greek dishes, though it's origin is not very old 🙂Reply
Nick @ GreekBoston.com
Pastit*o is a classic Greek dish and everyone has slight differences in how they make it. I love how you layered the pasta and meat and kept them separated. My family tends to mix everything together and pour the bechemel over the top, but your way looks really elegant and delicious!
Reply
Makos
Thanks Nick!
Yes, your way is the "quick" way, haha. I was talking to some colleagues at work the other day, and they told me the same thing! 🙂Reply
Efi
I’m lucky enough to have tasted this pastit*io and it was delicious!Reply
Makos
Thank you Efi! <3
Reply
Rachel Corliss
I love pasta in any form thats my altime comfort food. looks lovely and the tag low fat makes me hungry.Reply
Makos
Thank you Rachel,
If you use lean beef and a low-fat cheese, the only other fat in this recipe comes from the olive oil in the bechamel sauce 🙂Reply
Gloria
Hi Makos! I just love love love how you find ways to substitute butter with olive oil!!! I made your pasta frolla and it totally blew my mind (and my family’s tastebuds!) I’m super keen to try making your bechamel but I’m wondering if I have to put in eggs as my sister can’t eat eggs. Should I just up the milk and flour instead?
Reply
Makos
Hi Gloria, thank you so much for your kind words!
You can just omit the eggs and use the recipe as is. The quantity will still be enough. I've done it without the eggs and the bechamel is a bit more loose but it keeps it's shape (if you want it more firm, add 1 more tablespoon of flour). Good luck!Reply
Rose
I have tried delicious bechamel dishes from many authentic cooks so I never really felt that it would come out good if I had a try at it. After eyeing this recipe for a long while I decided to give it a go. I have to say it came out amazingly superb! I was worried about the consistency of the sauce but it was fluffy and perfect! I did substitute the wine in the meat for an equal mix of beef broth and 100% pomegranate juice and the flavor was still very much on point. I will be keeping this recipe for a long time. Thank you!Reply
Makos
Thank you very much Rose!
I'm very glad you liked it, and more so because this is one of my most favorite recipes!Reply
Lauren
MAde this tonight for the first time and it was absolutely delicious! Everyone raved about it and we’ll be adding it into our regular recipe rotation.Reply
Makos
Thank you very much Lauren!
This recipe is also very loved in my home 🙂Reply
Liz
I made this tonight. It was great.Reply
Makos
Thank you Liz!
Reply
Regina L Kamilar
I have had this at a Greek restaurant in Chicago about 12 years ago. I saw the noodles on the shelf at the grocery store so I looked up the recipe and found yours. My pan must not be deep enough because if I add the sauce it will over flow.
Reply
Makos
Hi Regina, maybe you can divide it in two pans or use a strip of baking paper inside the sides of your pan to give it some extra height.
Reply
Regina L Kamilar
I just made your recipe I gave the spoon to my husband so he could taste the sauce. He wouldn’t give the spoon back.
Reply
Makos
Nice to hear that Regina 🙂
(But get him to give you the spoon back, haha!)Reply
Perri Smoak
Hi Makos! This recipe has won my choice for Christmas lunch this year! So excited to find it! Question, can I make it the day before and keep in refrigerator until ready to bake the next morning? Thanks so much!
Reply
Makos
Hi Perri and thank you!
Yes of course, I also do that sometimes 🙂Reply
Allie
Does the olive oil on the béchamel change the height of it or the flavor ? I like a tall fluffy layer of béchamel. Thanks
Reply
Makos
Hi Allie, no it doesn't change the height, the flavor may seem a bit fruitier. If you keep the quantities of the recipe the same (and the size of the pan) the bechamel will have the thickness you see in the photos
Reply
Valerie DiLibero
First of all I love this dish I just put it together with this recipe. Bought the authentic pasta too. Here’s my question that pasta would have to be put one by one to make it look like picture when sliced?! I just did that! Who has the time?!Reply
Makos
Thanks Valerie!
I arranged the pasta by small batches, but only because of the photos (I thought it would show the layers better). Normally you just dump it in the pan and arrange it briefly with a spatula.
But kudos for the extra effort! 🙂Reply
Marilena
A stunning photo and a truly delicious recipe Mako! ?Reply
Makos
This is one of my favorite recipes! Thanks Marilena 🙂
Reply
Fiona
I am delighted to have stumbled upon this lovely Blog. Your traditional recipes are perfect, full of flavour and they all work. I particularly like the spicing in this Pastit*io. Some other recipes omit the spices, which gives this classic dish its Greekness. . I will be copying this recipe into my recipe notebook of family favourites. Thanks so much.
Reply
Makos
Thank you very much Fiona! I absolutely agree about the spices, though some people are not very accustomed to this flavor profile. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the recipes 🙂
Reply
Jerry
There are numerous variations of pastit*io. However, most of them, including my recipe, use only egg yolks in the bechamel. The egg white are reserved, beaten until frothy (but not to the point of stiff egg whites) and added to the cooked bucatini (perciatelli) with some well-crumbled feta. Also, most Greek cooks use only tomato paste in the meat sauce, not canned tomatoes or tomato sauce.
But your recipe does have one desirable feature that most don’t: you add a layer of noodles OVER the meat sauce before you pour on the bechamel. This has an important function: the cheese-bechamel mixture settles into the topmost lay of noodles, preventing the bechamel from sliding off the meat sauce.
I have never seen a pastit*io recipe using chapped carrot. Also, Greek cooks always use red onions and sometimes some scallions.Reply
Ingrid Addison
Hi! Could I make the Pastitiscio several days before serving and freeze? If so, would you bring it to room temperature before baking?
Thanks! I’m excited to make this for Christmas!
Reply
Makos
Hi Ingrid, yes freeze it and bring it to room temperature (it's okay if it's still a bit cold) before baking.
Good luck!Reply
Ingrid Addison
Thank you for responding Makos. I’m looking forward to making your recipe for my family. Merry Christmas!
Reply
Makos
Hope you enjoy it, Ingrid
Merry Christmas!!!Reply
Miss Cindy
I learned to love pastit*io at a Greek diner in a nearby city. Although they had a wonderful menu full of delicious food, I would only order the pastit*io! Then I found your recipe. It is even better now that I can make it at home! It is a go to for when my family comes to visit. Now they request it even though they can’t seem to learn how to pronounce it. They call it the Greek casserole with cinnamon…gotta love ’em! Thank you for the great recipe!Reply
Makos
That's so great Cindy! As long as everyone is pleased it doesn't matter how they pronounce it, haha 🙂
Thanks for the feedback!Reply
Mike
Did you actually make this recipe or did AI write it? Big mistake béchamel, a basic sauce, is a one to one ratio not a 1:2. Too much flour makes a crap béchamel.
And i need like a 4” high pan not a 2.5”. I had to build it up with AL foil-higher walls. It tasted good but this recipe is not ready for prime time. Needs editing pleaseReply
Mary Papas
This was delicious! I made it in a very large round pan (I have it from my late grandma) and it came out perfect!Reply
Makos
That's great Mary, happy holidays!
Reply
Monika
This is the most beautiful and artistic pastit*io that I've ever seen. Great! (and yes, I love it!)
Reply
Makos
Thank you so much Monika!!!
Reply
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