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Ingredients: 1 kilo of spaghetti No4 1 cup of olive oil 1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced 1 1/4 cup of chopped onions 1 kilo of ground beef 2 1/2 cups tomatoes, peeled 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon 6 whole cloves 1 tablespoon of sea salt 20 or more ground peppercorns (to taste) 1 1/2 cups of grated kefalotyri cheese (or pecorino) For the béchamel sauce 2 tablespoons butter 3 – 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups fresh milk 2 egg yolks 2 tablespoons grated cheese ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg |
Directions:
Make the Meat Sauce
Sauté the onions until brown in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Add meat and continue to stir until lightly brown. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, salt, and pepper and stir well to combine.
Reduce heat and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, about 30-35 minutes. This is very important - the meat mixture should be as dry as possible without sticking to the bottom of the pan. Le the meat mixture aside, uncovered, and allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 160C. Lightly grease a baking or roasting pan.
Prepare the Pasta
While the meat is simmering, prepare the pasta. Cook until slightly underdone (about 5-7 minutes of cooking), drain, toss with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.
Prepare béchamel sauce as follows: In a small saucepan melt butter, remove from the heat and add flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, till the mixture thickens. When the mix cools, add the beaten egg yolks. Add cold milk and place the saucepan in the heat, in low temperature, stirring constantly till it becomes a thick and homogeneous sauce. Sprinkle cheese and add a touch of salt and nutmeg.
Spread ½ cup of grated kefalotyri cheese (or pecorino) evenly on the bottom of a baking pan. Use 1/2 of the pasta for the first layer, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese and repeat. Remove cloves from the sauce, add the meat sauce evenly over the pasta, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Add the remaining pasta on top. Carefully pour the béchamel over the top and use a spatula to spread evenly.
Bake at 160C for 30 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese on top, and continue to bake for another 15 to 30 minutes until the sauce rises and turns golden brown.
Remove pan from oven and allow cooling before serving. “Pastitsio” is served warm, not hot).
Tip:
Pastitsio can be preserved up to 5 days in the fridge. I love it
along with a Greek salad.
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