Ingredients for the Meat Sauce
- 500 g ground beef
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 100 g red wine
- 50 g water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- Oregano
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sweet paprika
- Olive oil
Instructions for the Meat Sauce
- In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic.
- Add the tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, cooking for 4-5 minutes until browned. Deglaze with the red wine.
- Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, water, and parsley.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the sauce thickens. Once ready, remove the bay leaves and set aside.
Ingredients for the Béchamel Sauce
- 100 g butter
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 1 liter milk
- 2 egg yolks
- Salt
- Pepper
- Ground nutmeg
- 150 g grated graviera cheese (or similar cheese)
Instructions for the Béchamel Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter without letting it brown. Add the flour, whisking constantly until lightly toasted.
- Gradually add the milk while whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
- Continue stirring until the sauce thickens and begins to bubble. Remove from heat.
- Off the heat, add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cheese, stirring to cool the sauce slightly. Finally, add the egg yolks and whisk well.
Ingredients for the Pasta
- 400 g pastitsio pasta (or other tubular pasta)
- 200 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 eggs
Instructions for the Pasta
- In a pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until slightly underdone, as it will cook further in the oven.
- Drain the pasta and place it in a lightly oiled baking pan.
- Add the beaten eggs, olive oil, and crumbled feta, and mix well.
Assembly in the Baking Pan
- Add 5 tablespoons of béchamel to the meat sauce and stir.
- Spread the meat sauce evenly over the pasta in the pan.
- Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the meat layer, spreading it evenly.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180-190°C (350-375°F) for 40 minutes or until golden.
Enjoy your homemade pastitsio!
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