Well, to be honest, pastitsio could make up a food category all on its own!
It’s a mythical dish that usually decorates our sunday lunch ( ..for us sunday lunch is the most important meal of the week!).
Point of reference for the family table, it wakes up emotions of deep intimacy.
A good pastitsio will always remind us of our mother.
It’s a dish that truly demonstrates the emotional bond which grows along with the sense of taste.
Folklore has it, that a woman who makes a good pastitsio can keep a man forever hitched.
Maybe they are right…
GREEK PASTITSIO (MACARONI WITH MEAT SAUCE & BECHAMEL)
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 350 gr #2 macaroni for pastitsio
For the Meat sauce
- 800 gr ground chuck beef
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole pimentos
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 400 gr tomatoes, chopped
- 500 gr concentrated tomato juice
- 2 cubes of bio chicken stock (optional)
- 1 pinch of sugar
- salt
- pepper
For the Bechamel sauce
- 80 gr all-purpose flour, sifted
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lt fresh full fat milk, room temperature
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 50 gr cheese (kefalotiri, graviera), grated + 150gr. for sprinkling
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
For the Meat sauce
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.
- Add ground beef and cook over medium-high heat, until pink color disappears, about 6 -7minutes.
- Use a whisk so as to break any big chunks of ground beef.
- Add onion and cook until it is translucent, about 5 minutes more.
- Add whole pimentos and cinnamon sticks, cooking for 3 more minutes.
- Add garlic, stirring constantly with a spatula for 2 minutes. Do not overcook garlic, because it will become bitter!
- Season with a bit of salt trying to “build” taste.
- When ground beef has a nice light brown color, add tomato paste and stir again.
- Add wine and cook until it evaporates.
- Add chopped tomatoes and juice, bay leaves, chicken stock, sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Cover and simmer meat sauce for about 40-45 minutes, until most liquid is absorbed.
- Uncover, taste and season with ground pepper and salt, if needed, according to your taste.
- Set aside.
For the Macaroni
- While cooking meat sauce, boil macaroni in salted water, according to packet directions until al dente (about 2 minutes less).
- Strain and toss macaroni with 2tbsp. of olive oil, so as they don’t stick together.
- Set aside for 5 minutes.
For the Bechamel sauce
- Pour olive oil in a saucepan over low heat.
- Add flour and whisk continuously to make a smooth paste or roux.
- Allow mixture to cook for a couple of minutes, but do not allow it to brown.
- Add milk to mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously.
- Simmer over low heat till the sauce thickens, for about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste.
- Add the 50gr. of cheese, stirring constantly, until smooth. Taste again.
Assembly
- Toss macaroni and meat sauce in a big bowl.
- Brush the bottom and sides of a 28x38cm pan with a film of olive oil.
- Sprinkle with some cheese.
- Layer the pan with the mixture of the bowl, trying somewhat to be flat, but don’t press down hard!
- Sprinkle again with some cheese.
- Preheat oven to 175 Celsius degree/fan mode.
- Prepare the béchamel sauce.
- Pour béchamel over macaroni evenly. Macaroni should be fully covered.
- Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top has a nice golden color.
- Remove from the oven.
- Let it rest for about an hour before you cut in pieces.
- Serve at room temperature.
- Enjoy!