Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 3/4 cup tomato puree
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground, plus more, for seasoning
- 1 1/2 pound uncut macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus 1/2 pound
- 3 eggs, separated
- 2 1/2 cups kefalotyri or kasseri, grated
- 2 quarts milk
- 1/2 pound flour
- Nutmeg
Directions
Brown beef in a pan. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Deglaze with the red wine and reduce to 2 tablespoons. In a small bowl, mix together tomato puree and crushed tomatoes to make a sauce. Add to the onions and garlic, and then add the water. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cook macaroni in salted water: drain. Return to pan. Add butter, egg whites and 1/2 cup of cheese, mix well. Heat up milk on medium high until it comes to a simmer. In a separate pan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until well blended. Whisk in warm milk. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until fairly thick. Season with salt and nutmeg, to taste. Temper in the egg yolks. Add 1 cup of cheese. In a buttered 13 by 9-inch baking dish, layer macaroni mixture and meat sauce, cover with white sauce and sprinkle with remaining grated cheese on top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven to rack and let stand for 15 minutes. Cut into squares.
















Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 9 reviews
By Christianna813
Springfield, VA
on March 10, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
It's a fantastic recipe....very authentic ( yes I grew up eating pastitsio. Béchamel is perfect and meat sauce tasty. The portions are correct because it's usually eaten at big family gatherings so it has to be big.
By liz bullock
Illinois
on March 01, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
I made this dish many times and the only thing I did differently was to add more of everything--meat, cheese, wine, garlic, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. except for the custard on top. Reduce that amount by at least half. Everyone loves it and believe or not, it freezes beautifully.
By cabsathe_11774362
alexandria, VA
on July 22, 2009
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
The meat sauce was delicious, but the ratio of bechamel to noodles and meat sauce was way out of proportion for my liking. I didn't even use all the bechamel-I can't imagine how bland this dish would have been if I had. You can barely taste the meat sauce. I would cut the bechamel in half next time. Otherwise, pretty good!
Read all 9 reviews