Classic Greek Pastitsio

Mise-en-place

Ingrediënten

De bereidingswijze

Stap voor stap

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Cook the tubular pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

   Ongeveer 10 min

   Tip van de kok: Do not overcook the pasta, as it will continue to cook in the oven.

3. 3

   Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

   Ongeveer 1 min

4. 4

   Add the yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

   Ongeveer 5 min

5. 5

   Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

   Ongeveer 1 min

   Tip van de kok: Be careful not to burn the garlic.

6. 6

   Add the ground beef to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned.

   Ongeveer 8 min

   Tip van de kok: Drain any excess fat if necessary.

7. 7

   Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.

   Ongeveer 3 min

8. 8

   Stir in the canned crushed tomato, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.

   Ongeveer 1 min

9. 9

   Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, stirring occasionally.

   Ongeveer 30 min

   Tip van de kok: The longer the sauce simmers, the more flavorful it will be.

10. 10

    While the meat sauce is simmering, prepare the béchamel sauce.

11. 11

    In a separate medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat.

    Ongeveer 2 min

12. 12

    Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to create a roux.

    Ongeveer 2 min

    Tip van de kok: Cook until the roux is light golden and smells slightly nutty.

13. 13

    Gradually whisk in the warm whole milk, a little at a time, until smooth and lump-free.

    Ongeveer 5 min

    Tip van de kok: Adding warm milk helps prevent lumps.

14. 14

    Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the béchamel sauce thickens to a creamy consistency.

    Ongeveer 5 min

    Tip van de kok: It should coat the back of a spoon.

15. 15

    Remove from heat and stir in the nutmeg, egg yolk, and parmesan cheese until well combined.

    Ongeveer 1 min

    Tip van de kok: The residual heat will cook the egg yolks without scrambling them.

16. 16

    Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf from the meat sauce.

17. 17

    To assemble, spread half of the cooked tubular pasta evenly in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

    Ongeveer 2 min

18. 18

    Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the pasta layer.

    Ongeveer 1 min

19. 19

    Top with the entire meat sauce, spreading it evenly.

    Ongeveer 1 min

20. 20

    Arrange the remaining pasta over the meat sauce layer.

    Ongeveer 1 min

21. 21

    Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top, ensuring it covers all the pasta.

    Ongeveer 1 min

22. 22

    Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.

    Ongeveer 1 uur

    Tip van de kok: If the top browns too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil.

23. 23

    Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

    Ongeveer 15 min

    Tip van de kok: Resting allows the pastitsio to set, making it easier to cut into neat portions.