Greek pastitsio: A culinary journey through Mediterranean flavors

The Greek casserole recipe I will describe is one of my favorite souvenirs from the land of Hellas. It's better than a refrigerator magnet or a glass ball—and, indeed, more helpful!

Pastitsio is a pasta, ground meat, and béchamel sauce casserole found in homes and restaurants in most Mediterranean countries. It's similar to the famous moussaka, but it's prepared faster and easier because the recipe doesn't call for eggplant and potatoes. Interestingly, the name pastitsio comes from the Latin "pasticium," which is used metaphorically to refer to a mess. Well, in my opinion, something is enchanting in this chaos.

When I first tried pastitsio, I knew yet another Greek dish had captivated me. Undoubtedly, I would want to make this casserole not once or twice a year but much more often. As I predicted, that's what happened. I found a straightforward, intuitive, cheap recipe and embarked on my culinary journey. The result? Simply delicious! I highly encourage you to try it.

Ingredients:

            
• 1.7 lbs ground meat (originally: beef)
• 1.1 lbs raw pasta (tube type)
• 1.8 lbs tomatoes
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 small onions or 1 large
• Spices: salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, thyme

Béchamel:

            
• 3.5 oz butter
• 3.5 oz flour
• 3.4 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• Block of yellow cheese (about 10.5 oz)
• 3.5 oz feta cheese
• Spices: salt, pepper, nutmeg

Preparation:

1. Pour olive oil into a frying pan. Sauté the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic. Add the ground meat and spices, and cook on low heat.
2. In the meantime, peel and chop the tomatoes. Add them to the meat and cook until they reduce.
3. Prepare the béchamel sauce: heat the butter in a deep pan, add the flour, and gradually add milk to the roux, stirring continuously. Finally, season it, add grated cheese, crumbled feta cheese, and beaten eggs.
4. Grease a baking dish. First, lay out the cooked pasta (keeping some aside), then pour half of the béchamel sauce over it. Now, it's time for the meat with tomatoes. Place the remaining pasta on top, and pour the remaining béchamel over it.
5. Bake uncovered at 350°F. The top should be distinctly browned, usually about half an hour, but watching your pastitsio closely is better. It is better not to burn this culinary masterpiece!