Greek Pastitsio, sometimes called Greek lasagne, is a classic dish with cinnamon and allspice in the meat sauce that seems magical to me. I think of it as moussaka with noodles instead of vegetables. It’s a little easier to make than moussaka or lasagne because it only has three layers. The meat sauce is similar but the fact that it has a layer of noodles is precisely why my husband loves it. He’s always about pasta!
An International Strategy for Everyday Meals
I often write about cooking with a seasonal strategy since it's the best way I know to enjoy produce at its’ peak while adding variety to my meals. It’s also a great reminder to repeat favourite dishes without tiring of them. Yet it's not my only strategy for coming up with dinner ideas.
My international strategy simply means I think of a country and suddenly many classic favourites come to mind. This is what happens:
- I think of Greece and can picture eating crispy fried calamari, freshly made tadziki, my first moussaka and all the Greek salads we enjoyed during our beach days on the island of Mykonos. I learned about pastitsio after that vacation.
- Austria brings to mind giant plate-sized schnitzel I enjoyed during a short visit to Vienna.
- My friend of German heritage introduced me to that cuisine so I now connect it with Beef Rouladen, sautéed purple cabbage, warm potato salad, giant pretzels and Pfeffernüesse cookies.
- And then there's Spain. Oh, the tapas we enjoyed while travelling many years ago, not to mention many versions of paella. Plus I'll never forget the best tasting bowl of gazpacho I've ever had at a random outdoor restaurant on a sunny afternoon in Seville.
There are 193 countries but you get the idea. Yet when my son was looking for dinner ideas and I told him about this strategy he just looked at me and said, “my brain doesn’t work like that”. Fair enough, but mine does.
PIN for later...
This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase using these links your cost is the same, but I receive a few cents for every dollar spent. I appreciate your support for this website.
Get The Tools
Every kitchen needs a 9 x 13. That’s the old lingo for a pyrex pan that is 9-inches by 13-inches and often about 2-inches tall. Your parents or grandparents likely made many dishes in that single pan so if you’re just starting out buy one. It will last for decades.
Of course we now have more selection than our grandparents could have dreamed of. Many of the beautiful glazed ceramic pans have slightly different dimensions so if baked in a slightly larger pan won't result in the distinct layers of your cut pastitsio. It will taste exactly the same!
If you make this Greek Pastitsio let me know in the comments below how it turned out.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
New here? Join our community and get your FREE resource, the tips I wish I knew when I started cooking gluten free.
Yes, I need 29 Tips For Cooking with Gluten Free Flour.
Still haven't mastered gluten free cooking? Check out our online Cooking Classes.
More Greek Recipes
Click on the text on the image(s) to go to the recipe/blog post.
Greek Pastitsio
Ingredients
- 12 oz gluten free penne or macaroni
MEAT SAUCE
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 can diced tomatoes (19oz/ 540ml)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
WHITE SAUCE
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups milk or half & half
- 1 egg, beaten
FINISHING
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
MEAT SAUCE
- Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Can be made in advance.
- Cook pasta according to package directions or even 1 minute less. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
WHITE SAUCE
- Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add cornstarch, salt and pepper and whisk until no lumps remain and butter.
- Pour in ⅓ of the milk/cream and stir over medium heat until thickened slightly. Add the next ⅓ and stir again until thickened. Add the final ⅓ stirring until thick.
- Remove from heat and add egg, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
ASSEMBLY
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly brush 9 x 13-inch baking pan with oil.
- Spread pasta in bottom of prepared pan.
- Top with meat sauce.
- Pour white sauce evenly over meat layer then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven until nicely browned, 35-45 minutes. Rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Leave a Reply