Athenian Pastitsio (Παστίτσιο Αθηναϊκό)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •23 by 33cm deep baking dish
• •wide heavy pot for meat sauce
• •medium saucepan for bechamel
• •balloon whisk

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the Sauce

   Warm the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes, until soft and sweet but not browned. Add the beef and break it up well, cooking until it loses its raw red color and the liquid in the pot has mostly cooked away.

2. 2

   Simmer the Meat

   Stir in the garlic for 1 minute, then add the wine and let it bubble until the sharp smell fades. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, allspice, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and spoonable. Remove the cinnamon and bay leaf.

   The meat sauce should not be wet. Pastitsio needs a thick middle layer, not a sauce that runs through the macaroni.
3. 3

   Boil the Pasta

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni 2 minutes less than the packet says. Drain well. It should still have a little firmness, because it will finish in the oven.

4. 4

   Bind the Base

   Let the pasta cool for 5 minutes, then toss it with the beaten eggs and 50g of the grated cheese. This is the step that makes clean slices. The egg and cheese set around the tubes and hold the bottom layer together, so the meat and bechamel sit above it instead of sinking through.

   If the pasta is boiling hot, wait a few minutes before adding the eggs. You want the eggs coating the macaroni, not catching in little curds.
5. 5

   Make Bechamel

   Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, until it smells gently nutty but stays pale. Add the warm milk a little at a time, whisking constantly, then cook for 6 to 8 minutes until thick and smooth. Season with nutmeg and salt.

6. 6

   Finish Bechamel

   Take the pan off the heat and let the bechamel stand for 3 minutes. Whisk in the egg yolks until the sauce is glossy and thick. A slightly cooled sauce takes the yolks kindly and bakes into a tender cap instead of splitting.

7. 7

   Layer the Pan

   Heat the oven to 180C. Lightly oil a 23 by 33cm baking dish. Spread the bound pasta evenly in the dish, spoon the meat sauce over it, then pour the bechamel across the top and smooth it to the edges. Sprinkle with the remaining 30g grated cheese.

8. 8

   Bake and Rest

   Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is set and patched with deep gold. Let the pastitsio rest for at least 25 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm, not scalding, with a green salad and nothing fussy beside it.

Chef Tips

• •Use thick pastitsio macaroni if you can find it. Bucatini is the closest good substitute. Short penne makes a decent family bake, but it does not give the same clean Athenian slice.
• •Kefalotyri gives the right salty bite. Pecorino works when Greek cheese is hard to source, but use it with a steady hand because it can be sharper.
• •Pastitsio is better when it has rested. It holds in the refrigerator for 3 days and reheats well, covered, in a moderate oven.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the meat sauce up to 2 days ahead and chill it.
• •Assemble the pastitsio up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake from cold, adding 10 to 15 minutes.
• •Bake it several hours before serving if you like. It slices best once it has rested, then it can be warmed gently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 400g)