Pastitsio

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Very good. I thought it was a perfect combination of flavors. I did not think that the cinnamon was overpowering as some people said in their reviews. It was just right. I used all ground beef in place of the lamb. My whole family loved the meal... even my 2 & 3 year olds. This dish is great to make for a crowd & has elegant flavors. I served it with a simple salad with homemade vinegarette.

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I made this for my boyfriend and he loved it! I didn't think the cinnamon or nutmeg was overpowering. The only modification I made was not mixing any of the meat into the white layer. I preferred that layer soft and creamy. Not sure how authentically greek the recipe is, but it's delicious!

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Good stuff

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Absolutely delicious! I would say the recipe is pretty easy except that at takes around two hours and requires at least five dirty pans. That is a little too much clean up for me. I halved the recipe and it made four large servings in a 7 x 11 baking dish. I live in a big city but it was still difficult to find ground lamb and I had to settle for frozen. I will definitely make this for my next pot luck because it is different, delicious and everyone will be impressed.

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The recipe is great! It differs slightly from what my (Greek family prepares. We don't add garlic to the meat sauce; the pasta layer is made with long hollow noodles that are not mixed with the meat layer - the cheese sauce holds the noodles together in a separate layer. We also sprinkle fresh bread crumbs on the bottom of the dish to make removing the pieces easy to do. To the person wanting to substitute the wine...my mother and grandmother would dissolve a teaspoon of tomato paste in warm water instead of using the wine. I, however, plan to use Ina's recipe to "update" our traditional one. Just don't tell my Yiayia! And Ina...please don't be offended...but you need a reliable Greek consultant....your pronunciation of some of the Greek dishes....well, let me just say you're not from the Peloponnese, but I do love your cooking! Best to you and thanks for all that you do!

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i am having a girls night out and i think i am going to do this recipe ...i can't wait....i want to say that i love how you and your husband are so in love, you remind me of my husband and me....i really enjoy watching....i plan on making a special surprise surprise for my hubby in our backyard using alot of your great ideas....keep on cooking ina we love you

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First of all, you must try the bechamel, minus the eggs, yogurt and meat sauce, all by itself as a fondue. It is superb. With the freshly grated parmesan and the heavy cream this is a real treat. Really by adding the eggs and turning the bechamel into a custard was probably unnecessary and next time I make this I will omit the eggs and see how it works out. I think Ina wanted to make sure the bechamel didn't soak into the pasta and it doesn't with the eggs. Well, back to the pastitsio: my kids loved it and there was hardly anything leftover. I am also cinnamon-shy so I used only 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp cumin as someone suggested and it tasted great, but still I would have preferred a traditional italian flavoring because that's just my preference. But it was something different and a nice change and like I said, the family loved it and scarfed it up!

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Wow this recipe was fantastic. We served it with a california pinot. Loved the cinnamon and nutmeg flavor that was very forward.

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This recipe is GREAT!!! It came out wonderfully & reminds me of the pastitsio I loved as a kid from a greek restaurant. I used just under a full tblsp of the cinnamon; I think it complements the lamb well and it really isn't sweet, even though it will smell like you added too much. I used 1lb. of ziti noodles instead of shells, as that is a little more authentic, and I didn't mix the noodles with the meat. Instead, I took some of the bechamel and mixed with about 1/4 of the noodles, layering it on the bottom of the pyrex before layering the meat, then the rest of the plain noodles, and then the bechamel on top. I also used low-fat Fage yogurt and soy milk instead of whole (still used the heavy cream. I wholeheartedly recommend this recipe... its a tad time consuming, but I will definitely make it again. (As for the comment about there being too much fat and competing with Paula Deen... the nature of this recipe isn't to be on a health food menu, and it's not a southern dish either...

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Hello Ina, I saw you make this receipe, and i cant wait to make it. Just thinking of it makes my mouth water. I do love your kooking and follow you each day. You have given me manny ideas to just inprove my kooking. Bless you .