Everyday KitchenSearch all recipes

Greek · Dinner

Pastitsio

Non-vegEasy

Diet: Non-veg · High-protein

Pastitsio is a Greek dish. Undercook pasta slightly before its oven stage.

Prep
30 min
Cook
70 min
Rest, soak, marinate or chill
15 min
Total
115 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Greek
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

Jump to recipe

Representative photograph of Pastitsio.
Representative photograph of Pastitsio. Garnishes and presentation may differ. Photo credit and licence
0 of 3 steps complete

Start cooking view to see whether your screen can stay awake.

Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 6

Pasta

Meat

Sauce

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; oven; baking tray; oven gloves; saucepan with lid; sieve; heavy frying pan; spatula; food thermometer; whisk or electric mixer; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed recipe, not every substitution.

Steps

Pasta · About 2 min

  1. Boil 350 g tubular pasta, 2500 ml water, 1 tsp salt 2 minutes less than packet time; drain.

Meat · About 20 min

  1. Heat oil from 25 ml olive oil, 500 g minced beef, 150 g onion, chopped, 500 g passata, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp salt; fry beef and onion 8 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; simmer 20 minutes.

Bake · About 40 min

  1. Make a white sauce with butter, flour and milk from 50 g butter, 50 g plain flour, 600 ml milk, 2 eggs, 80 g hard cheese. Cool 5 minutes, whisk in eggs and cheese. Layer pasta, meat and sauce; bake at 180°C / 350°F for 40 minutes to 74°C / 165°F. Rest 15 minutes.

    Check: The food must be hot through at 74°C / 165°F.

Tips

  • Undercook pasta slightly before its oven stage.
  • Judge Pastitsio by the texture and doneness signs in its steps. Your pan and heat affect how long Pastitsio takes to cook.

Substitutions

  • Use short macaroni if long tubular pasta is unavailable.

Storage

  • Get perishable Pastitsio into the fridge within two hours, or within one hour above 32°C / 90°F. Eat Pastitsio within two days, keeping it covered at 4°C / 40°F or colder.
  • Bring cooked Pastitsio to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning it for even heating. When Pastitsio is part of the meal, serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts straight from safe refrigeration.
  • If Pastitsio includes a thick sauce or soup, loosen it with a little water during gentle reheating. Any crisp coating on Pastitsio becomes softer in storage.

Make ahead

  • Prepare the measured ingredients for Pastitsio one day ahead. For Pastitsio, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for Pastitsio on the day of serving.

FAQ

What matters most when making Pastitsio?

Undercook pasta slightly before its oven stage.

What can I substitute in Pastitsio?

Use short macaroni if long tubular pasta is unavailable.

Can I prepare Pastitsio ahead?

Prepare the measured ingredients for Pastitsio one day ahead. For Pastitsio, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for Pastitsio on the day of serving.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

Related recipes