Pastichio (Greek Style Lasagna)
Growing up in an Italian household I have had my share of pasta dishes such as Baked Ziti and Lasagna, but when my Greek friend Theo and his Mom Alexia told me about their version, called “Pastichio,” I had to try it! Theo and Alexia joined me on a live instagram video where they got to teach me and my viewers how to make this classic and comforting dish. Like Italian lasagna, Pastichio is something Greeks make for special occasions and holidays but they will also make big batches of it and send it off with their children so they can feed off of it for days and days (I had my share of those care packages in college). The Greek and Italian cultures are so similar in that there are two main focuses, Family and Food! You can truly taste the love in this dish, and it really reminded me of home in a strange way even though I had never had it before. The tender pasta, the savory, buttery ground beef, the absolutely luscious béchamel sauce and the slightly crunchy crust that forms on the top from the breadcrumbs and browning of the cream sauce…simply divine!
Feeds roughly 4-5 people
Ingredients-
1 Lb Ground Beef
Salt & Pepper
1 Medium Yellow Onion
2.5 Tablespoons Fresh, Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
1 Stick of Butter (ideally salted butter)
1 Cup Tomato Sauce (Your favorite kind, homemade or not)
3/4 Lb Pasta (Ideally Misko #2 greek pasta but Ziti will also work!)
2 Cups of Grated Romano Cheese (can also use Parmesan or a blend of both)
2 Cups of Whole Milk
3 Large Egg Yolks
Plain Breadcrumbs (just enough to sprinkle on top, about 1/2 cup)
Steps-
PREPARE THE BECHAMEL SAUCE:
Melt 1/2 Stick (4 tablespoons) of butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour so there are no lumps. Continue to cook on medium/low heat stirring constantly until the mixture becomes slightly golden in color. Then gradually whisk in the hot milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. A way to test this is if the mixture coats the back of a spoon and when you make a line through it with your finger the two sides don’t merge. Stir in about 1/2 Teaspoon of salt and about 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper (adjust the seasoning to your liking). Remove the béchamel from the heat and quickly whisk in the egg yolks. Set aside.
PREPARE THE MEAT LAYER:
Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet.. Add the onions and saute until softened. Crumble the beef into the skillet and cook with the onions until the beef is browned. Stir in about 1/2 Teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste). Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fresh chopped parsley and set aside.
PREPARE THE PASTA LAYER:
Cook ziti or Misko in nicely salted water, according to directions on the package (but slightly al dente as it will be cooked again in the oven). Drain the pasta and add in 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of butter. Stir the pasta until the butter completely melts and it is fully coated.
ASSEMBLE THE DISH:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9x13-inch casserole dish (pyrex ideally) Pour in the buttered pasta and spread it out evenly. Spread the meat mixture in an even layer over the top of the pasta. Sprinkle 1.5 cups of the Romano cheese over the meat mixture. Pour the béchamel evenly over the top and spread it out into one even layer. Sprinkle on top the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over the top.
BAKE:
Place the Pastichio in the preheated oven and bake about 40-55 mins or until the top is nice and golden brown and everything has set. Remove from the oven and allow it to sit at least 20 minutes before serving (but it is suggested that you refrigerate to let the layers set... and then warm up later to serve). Serve by cutting into squares and removing with a spatula.