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Pastitsio with Greek Béchamel

Name: Pastitsio with Greek Béchamel
Total time: 2 h 59 min
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 30 ml for the sauce, 30 ml for the pasta; 3 large onions, finely chopped; 1 clove large garlic, minced; 680 g ground beef; 700 g canned diced tomatoes, with juice (about 3 cups); 240 ml dry white wine; 1 stick cinnamon; 6 whole allspice berries; 1 tsp ground nutmeg, scant; 12 black peppercorns, crushed (10 to 15); salt, to taste; 450 g thick tube spaghetti such as bucatini; 115 g kefalotyri cheese, grated, divided; 115 g unsalted butter, 1 stick; 60 g all-purpose flour, scant 1/2 cup; 1650 ml whole milk, heated; 240 ml heavy cream; salt and ground white pepper, to taste; nutmeg, freshly grated, to taste; 2 large whole eggs, lightly beaten with the yolks; 2 large egg yolks; 150 g fresh Greek anthotyro, ricotta or fresh myzithra, drained (about 2/3 cup); 100 g Greek feta, crumbled (about 2/3 cup); 50 g kasseri cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Cinnamon and allspice beef ragù layered between bucatini and topped with a thick cheese-enriched béchamel with anthotyro, feta and kasseri, baked into a golden, puffed crust. Tselementes-style Sunday pasta.

YieldServes 8 to 10
Hands-on1 h 30 min
Total2 h 59 min
Difficulty

Ingredients

Meat sauce

60 mlextra-virgin olive oil, divided: 30 ml for the sauce, 30 ml for the pasta
3large onions, finely chopped
1 clovelarge garlic, minced
680 gground beef
700 gcanned diced tomatoes, with juice (about 3 cups)
240 mldry white wine
1 stickcinnamon
6whole allspice berries
1 tspground nutmeg, scant
12black peppercorns, crushed (10 to 15)
to tastesalt

Pasta

450 gthick tube spaghetti such as bucatini
115 gkefalotyri cheese, grated, divided

Greek béchamel

115 gunsalted butter, 1 stick
60 gall-purpose flour, scant 1/2 cup
1650 mlwhole milk, heated
240 mlheavy cream
to tastesalt and ground white pepper
to tastenutmeg, freshly grated
2large whole eggs, lightly beaten with the yolks
2large egg yolks
150 gfresh Greek anthotyro, ricotta or fresh myzithra, drained (about 2/3 cup)
100 gGreek feta, crumbled (about 2/3 cup)
50 gkasseri cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Contains

Gluten
Dairy
Egg
Sulfites
Goat, sheep, buffalo or camel milk
Birds' eggs (any)
Wheat
Olive
Grapes
Nightshades (any)
Tomato
Onion family (any)
Onion
Garlic
Black and white pepper
Allspice
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
All mammal meat (alpha-gal)
Beef and veal
Histamine (aged and fermented foods)
Tyramine
Lactose
FODMAPs (any)
Alcohol

Taste

Sweet
Sour / bright
Salty
Umami / savory
Richness / fat
Aromatic spice

Texture

Creamy

Equipment

Oven
Stovetop

Season

Any season

Occasion

Weekend project
Entertaining

Effort

45–90 min active
1–3 hours total
Difficulty 3
Make-ahead friendly
Leftovers-friendly
Kid-friendly

Nutrition

Calories: high
Protein: high
Carbs: high
Fat: high
Fiber: high
Sodium: moderate

Budget

Budget: moderate

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Method

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