Rich Pastitsio Dish (Print Format)

Enjoy tender pasta, spiced meat, and a lush creamy topping in this comforting baked pastitsio. A perfect mix of flavor and texture.

# Ingredients:

→ Meat Sauce

01 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 pound ground lamb (or swap with pork)
04 - 1 pound ground beef, lean
05 - 1/2 cup of dry red wine
06 - 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ground
07 - 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 big cloves)
08 - 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
09 - 1 pinch of cayenne powder
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped thyme
11 - One 28-ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
12 - Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

→ Bechamel

13 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
14 - 2 1/2 cups milk, low-fat
15 - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
16 - 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
17 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
18 - Salt and black pepper to taste
19 - 2/3 cup Greek yogurt

→ Pasta

20 - 12 ounces (about 3/4 pound) of small pasta shells or ziti

→ Optional Topping

21 - Mozzarella, shredded

# Steps:

01 - Heat up a big pot with some olive oil. Toss in the onions and cook for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add ground beef and lamb, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks for 10 minutes until there's no pink left. Get rid of the extra liquid, then pour in red wine and let it reduce for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne, cooking for another 5 minutes. Add in San Marzano tomatoes with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Let it bubble on low heat for 40-45 minutes, giving it a stir now and then. Set the sauce aside when done.
02 - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a small pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Mix in flour and stir for a couple of minutes to cook the rawness out. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking — keep whisking as the mixture thickens over 7-8 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Add 3/4 cup Parmesan, then cool the sauce for around 10 minutes before mixing in the yogurt. Set it aside once combined.
03 - Boil pasta in salted water in a big pot until it's barely cooked (al dente). Drain and combine it with the meat sauce you've prepared earlier.
04 - Spread the pasta and sauce mix evenly into a 9x13 baking dish. Pour the bechamel on top, smoothing it out. Sprinkle with the leftover Parmesan and the mozzarella if you're using it.
05 - Pop the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes until it's bubbling and the top is lightly browned. If you've prepped things ahead of time, adjust the baking time accordingly.

# Tips:

01 - You can make the meat sauce and bechamel the night before. Put everything together and bake it fresh when you're ready to serve.