# Greek Traditional Pastitsio



## Margi Cintrano (Mar 17, 2012)

This Sicilian and Greek dish is a classic made with bechamel, ground beef, tomato sauce and cheese.

This is a Greek tradtional version that I had learnt to prepare in Greece where I lived for one year back in 1994.

Extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup
onions finely chopped 3 medium
lean ground beef 1 1/2 pounds
large minced garlic clove 1
6 small ripe juicy plum tomatoes de-seeded, peeled and chopped finely
cinammon stick 1
ground allspice a pinch
whole cloves 4
black pepper corns crushed in mortar with pestle 10
salt to taste
rigatoni or penne macaroni pasta or thick tube spaghetti 
French bechamel white sauce 6 cups
egg yolks beaten 2
cheese grating type reggiano parmesano of choice 1 cup
cheese of choice grated 4 ounces ( pecorino sardo or provolone aged with herbs ) 

1. in large skillet, heat 2 tblsps of E.V. Olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent 5 to 6 mins.
2. add the meat and continue stirring until meat begins to brown
3. add garlic, tomatoes, spices, peppercorns and salt to taste
4. lower heat and simmer covered 35 minutes until liquid has been absorbed and meat is cooked 
5. remove skillet from heat and let meat cool slightly and remove whole spices
6. while the meat is simmering, boil the macaroni to al dente
7. remove and drain macaroni and shock into cold water
8. drain and toss with E.V. olive oil and half the grated cheese
9. preheat oven to:  180 centig or 350 farenheit degrees
10. make the becahmel white sauce
11. when done, whisk in the yolks, and the remaining cheese and toss the pasta with a bit of the white sauce
12. now lightly oil the baking dish and spread half of this pastitsio mixture on the bottom layer 
13. now carefully pour in meat sauce spreading evenly over the pasta and sprinkle with 2 tblsps cheese
14. Make a 2nd layer of the macaroni and pour another layer of bechamel over pasta making sure it is spread evenly and up to the top
15. sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake 45 minutes until bechamel thickens and swells and a golden brown crust forms on top

Yield: 6 to 8 portions

Margaux Cintrano.

*** one can substitute Greek cheeses Anthotyro or Myzithra or Kefalotyri


----------



## Cerise (Mar 17, 2012)

This is one of my favorite comfort-food dishes.  Hard to find ground lamb, but I prefer ground beef.  I add cinnamon, tomato paste and some red wine to the mixture.  Sometimes, a handful of raisins.  Fresh nutmeg for the bechamel.  

A recipe that is close to mine (with my alterations/changes):

Greek Recipes with May Lerios: Pastitsio

It's a little time consuming, but worth the effort.  Thank you for sharing your recipe.


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Mar 17, 2012)

I shall try your suggestions next time I prepare it. Saturday is always pasta Italian day at our home.

Thanks for suggestion and posting. Have nice evening. 

Margi.


----------



## LPBeier (Mar 17, 2012)

Margi, thanks for posting this.  I love this dish and haven't made it for ages.  I will try your version soon!


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanks for lovely message. Have great wkend ... and pleased that u shall try my Sicilian via Greece recipe ! 

Margi.


----------



## dcgator (Mar 17, 2012)

In Venezuela there is a version of this called pasticho. Which is a thin layered version of Italian lasagna with a mixture of different cheeses bechamel and bolognese.  I always found American lasagna pasta layers to be too thick.


----------



## Claire (Mar 17, 2012)

I know most of you like food stories.  When I was a young woman (24 or so), working at the Pentagon, I had an ex-sister in law going to college,and she had a buddy.  A couple of times we decided to go on camping trips.  I could check out tents from the military, we'd pool money for some wine, and each bring stuff for grilling over coals.  I was a somewhat experienced camper compared to the two of them (grew up in as a sergeant's daughter, and sometimes camping was the only way), but ... this other gal's mother was Greek, and every time we went out she brought pastichio in an aluminum casserole dish.  We'd set up out tent, start a fire, and it was still warm, so we just placed it near the fire.  By the time we were ready for dinner ... well it was wonderful.


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Mar 18, 2012)

*@ Claire:  Thanks so much for ur lovely anecdote*

Thanks so much for sharing your lovely anecdote ... Truly enjoyable ...

Yes, I have to say that it is one of those classics and certainly worth the laboral aspect in the kitch ... The aromas are just divinity too ... 

Normally, Saturday is Italian Pasta Day at our loft in Madrid ... I have access to most Greek products through the Kerasma ( Greek Ministry of Agricultural and Export ) at the:  El Corte Ingles Super Market in downtown Madrid Capital. 

The Vet works on Saturday until 14.00 hrs., and an Italian baked hot dish are always his favorites. He is Italian, not Spanish. 

Yesterday was Guiness Stout marinated cornbeef due to St. Patrick´s and a dear colleague of mine, who is Irish and her Spanish gent who I had invited for the " fiesta " ... However, normally Saturday is pasta.

So, today is Pasta Day instead, and this is on the carte, with a simple green salad afterwards, which is very Mediterranean, for digestive reasons. Arugula, fennel and cherry plump ripe tomato and a bit of spring onion, and Modena Balsamic with E.V. olive oil ... simple and a good glass of red wine from the Ribera de Duero region of Spain ... 

Have a lovely Sunday and thanx again.

Margi.


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Mar 18, 2012)

@DC Gator,

Good to see you again ! Haven´t seen you online for quite sometime, since the Home Made Mozzarella project. How is that going ? How are u ? 

In Greece, it is typical to make the dish with a penne macacroni verses lasagne sheets, as Moussaka is made with lasagne sheets ... However, one can make their own pasta too ... or select a macaroni to their individual liking. This is why pasta dishes are so versatile. There are over 3.000 shapes, colors and sizes ... The aromas of this dish are divine, coming from the oven ... I am going to put a few raisins too --- I am making it in an hour or so ... 

Thanx for posting.
Margi.


----------



## Claire (Mar 18, 2012)

Margi Cintrano said:


> Thanks so much for sharing your lovely anecdote ... Truly enjoyable ...
> 
> Yes, I have to say that it is one of those classics and certainly worth the laboral aspect in the kitch ... The aromas are just divinity too ...
> 
> ...



Today being pasta day .... isn't today an Italian saint's day?  I'm trying to remember who.  My husband always said the day after St Patrick's day you have pasta because it's Saint (?)(Joseph?  But he's not more Italian than any other, is he?) Day.


----------



## Claire (Mar 18, 2012)

Oh, dear, today is a _Spanish_ saint's day; Salvatore.  Paella for everyone!


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Mar 18, 2012)

Claire,

Good Morning once again, 

Yes ... 

Saint Joseph, and here in Spain it is San José, and Monday a legal bank holiday FATHER´s DAY ...

It is also quite an interesting festival in Valencia, Castellón and Alicante all on the east coast of Spain, called THE FLAMES OR THE FIRES, LAS FALLAS in Valencian. 

The general celebration is that the craftsmen, have worked almost a year on cardboard, wood and wax statues of varying themes, traditional and political of today´s world, and the children participate too ... They parade through the varying main streets of this region and in rural villages or hamlets too ... then, on MONDAY 19th, at 12am they burn the statues ! and they display fireworks and light firecrackers ... NOISY however, the statues are amazing. Each year, the Government Board selects several of the Childrens´ to place in the MUSEUM CALLED :  EL MUSEO DE LAS FALLAS in VALENCIA ...

Thanks for posting. 
Margi.


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Mar 18, 2012)

How do you prefer your paella Claire ? There are over 1.000 recipes from which to choose !

I like Caldoso, which is like a shellfish boulabaisse with arborio short grain rice in a boulabaisee texture of this type. Of course, lots of saffron threads too ... 

Margi.


----------



## Souvlaki (Apr 5, 2012)

Nice pasticio Margi congrats
it is the way greeks bake it  

they just add grated yellow cheese inside the beshamel sauce together with egg yolks and nutmeg

and they beat the egg whites and add them into the bowl with macaroni before assembling the dish. So pastitcio will stay compact and easy to cut like a pie.

plus authentic greek moussaka is made of fryed or grilled eggplants and meat sauce with bechamel sauce on the top. all the rest recipes with potato, zuchini or carrot layers are just a delicious version of the original recipe.


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Apr 5, 2012)

Good Morning, Souvlaki,

Firstly thanks for the compliment.

I had mentioned, I love the Hellenic regional cuisines ... After Italian regional, is Greek regional ...

Unfortunately, there are not many fabulous Greek restaurants in Madrid Capital ... 

An Argentinian colleague had suggested one to me, Delfo´s in the centre of the city, and we plan to go over when we return to check it out ... 

Over the years, I have learnt to prepare the basics of the ancient gastronomy. 

I had written an article 3 years ago on all the Greek restaurants in Madrid, as I had been to an event at the Greek Embassy and the Ambassador invited me to a Greek Lunch and showed me Greek Evoo´s, wines, products A to Z, Cheeses, desserts, so I had an amazing tasting ... he also introduced me to a Chef from Athens, who studied under Ferrán Adriá who I have interviewed three times over the years, the genius of Molecular in Barcelona. 

The Vet is biased, however,  he told me that my Moussaka was better than a restaurant´s we had been to !  He is a " fan " ... 

I have to look at your recipes ... I love Shrimp Saganaki ... I was given the recipe by a Greek woman, in Santorini, who passed on ... Her husband may still have the Tasca ... 

Have a lovely Easter.
Kindest.
Margi.


----------



## Souvlaki (Apr 5, 2012)

Happy Easter  Margi  

thanks


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Apr 5, 2012)

Soulvaki,

Oh yes ... thank you for the Greek bechamel ... I shall be able to get the Greek cheeses ... 

Next time I prepare it, I shall follow your suggestion ... 

Grazie.  

Margi.


----------

