Greek Pastitsio

Meat Sauce

1. 1

   Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add ground sirloin and brown, then set aside.

2. 2

   In the same pot, sauté the diced onion until soft, add minced garlic and cook briefly.

3. 3

   Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then deglaze with dry red wine.

4. 4

   Add the canned plum tomatoes, honey, bay leaves, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and season with salt and pepper; simmer gently while you prepare the béchamel.

Béchamel Sauce

5. 5

   Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook a minute to form a roux.

6. 6

   Gradually whisk in warm milk, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

7. 7

   Remove from heat, temper with the beaten eggs and egg yolk, then stir in grated parmesan cheese, ground nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper.

Pasta

8. 8

   Cook pasta in salted boiling water until 2–3 minutes shy of al dente, then drain.

Assembly

9. 9

   Combine the cooked pasta with the meat sauce, mixing until evenly coated.

10. 10

    Transfer the pasta–meat mixture to a greased 9×13‑inch baking dish, spread the béchamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle the remaining grated parmesan.

Baking

11. 11

    Bake at 375°F (375°F) for 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden and the dish is bubbling.

Rest

12. 12

    Let the pastitsio rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.