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Pastitsio

Name: Pastitsio
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 75 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 lb bucatini or penne pasta; 1 1/2 lb ground beef; 1 large onion, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, divided; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 2 large eggs, beaten; 1/2 cup grated kefalotyri or parmesan cheese; 5 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups whole milk

Baked bucatini layered with a wine-and-cinnamon beef ragu and blanketed in a creamy béchamel crust — Greece’s grand pasta bake.

⏱ 35 minPrep time

🔥 1 hr 15 minCook time

🍽 8Servings

🏷 DinnerCategory

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Pastitsio is Greek comfort food with a pedigree: tubular pasta folded into a rich, cinnamon-scented meat sauce, crowned with a thick béchamel blanket and baked until the top is a golden, crackling dome.

Greeks serve pastitsio as a hearty family meal — often on Sundays or after a long week — cut into neat squares and paired with a crisp salad. It is Greece’s answer to the baked pasta casserole, and it is magnificent.

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Step by stepInstructions

Cook the pasta until very al dente; drain. Toss with 1 beaten egg and half the cheese.
Brown the beef; add the onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, half the nutmeg, oregano, salt, and pepper; simmer 20 minutes.
Make the béchamel: melt the butter, whisk in the flour, then whisk in the milk gradually until thick. Off the heat, stir in the remaining nutmeg, cheese, and beaten egg.
Spread half the pasta in a buttered 9x13-inch dish, top with the meat sauce, then the remaining pasta.
Pour the béchamel over and spread it to the edges.
Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until golden and set. Rest 15-20 minutes before slicing.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Cook the pasta short of done — it keeps baking in the oven. Let the pastitsio rest before slicing so the layers hold their shape.

Recipe details

Prep35 min

Cook1 hr 15 min

Servings8

CategoryDinner

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Pastitsio

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Pastitsio

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