I love Greek food! Pastitsio is one of many delicious Greek recipes. It’s a casserole filled with pasta, beef, tomatoes, onions and lots of herbs and spices. A thick cream sauce not only holds the casserole together but adds a satisfyingly rich but not too rich element to the dish.

The cream sauce is a basic white sauce of butter, flour and milk with the addition of nutmeg for a little sweetness and eggs to add extra richness and a bit more structure. When the casserole is baked the Parmesan cheese melts into the sauce adding some nutty and savory notes that make it even yummier.

The meat layer is so flavorful too. The beef is cooked with onions and tomato sauce and seasoned with oregano, parsley and cinnamon. The herbs and spices add savory, sweet and earthy flavors that are irresistible. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

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Pastitsio

Delicious and creamy Greek casserole filled with pasta and beef.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cream Sauce

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups warm milk
• 4 eggs

Instructions

1. Saute the onion and beef until the beef is cooked. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, cinnamon, sugar, tomato sauce and water. Simmer about 30 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Make the cream sauce: Melt the butter in the microwave and then whisk in the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Gradually add the milk, whisking well. Microwave in 2 minute intervals until the mixture has thickened, making sure it doesn’t boil over in the microwave. Break the eggs into a separate bowl and add some of the hot cream sauce to temper them. Add the egg mixture to the cream sauce and stir well until the addition of the eggs causes the sauce to thicken more.

3. Butter a 9 inch by 13 inch pan. 

4. Layer in the following order: half of the pasta, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, entire meat mixture, ½ of the cream sauce, remaining pasta, remaining Parmesan cheese and the remaining cream sauce.
   

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown.