Pasta & noodles · Greece

Pasta Casserole (Pastitsio)

Name: Pasta Casserole (Pastitsio)
Total time: 84 min
Cuisine: Greece
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 medium onions, chopped; 750 g minced meat; 400–450 g canned chopped tomatoes; ⅓ cup tomato paste; ½ cup water; ¼ cup dry white wine; 1 tablespoon beef stock powder; ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder; 1 egg, beaten lightly; 100 g butter; ½ cup plain flour; 3½ cups milk; 1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese; 2 egg yolks; 250 g macaroni pasta (or Greek pastitsio noodles); 2 eggs, beaten lightly; ¾ cup grated fresh Parmesan or Feta cheese

This recipe for pastitsio has been improved on over the generations. The reason why this is cooked on the stove top & only browned in the oven is that in Greek villages there was a shared village oven. So dishes like these were popular as they could be browned after the bread had been baked.

Published October 16, 2026

EST. TOTAL TIME1h 24m

DIFFICULTYMedium

SERVESSee recipe

Time and difficulty are editorial estimates; allow extra time for your equipment and experience.

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What you’ll need

Tap an ingredient as you get it ready.

Let’s make it

Step 1

Heat olive oil in pan. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent.

Step 2

Add the minced meat, and cook until well browned.

Step 3

Add the chopped canned tomatoes, liquid and all.

Step 4

Add the tomato paste, water, wine, beef stock powder, and cinnamon powder. Simmer uncovered until it becomes thick in consistency.

Step 5

Once thick transfer into a mixing bowl to cool.

Step 6

Once cool, stir in egg.

Step 7

Melt the butter in pan.

Step 8

Add the flour, and stir well over heat until bubbling.

Step 9

Remove pan from heat, and gradually add the milk. The mixture will become thick and will then thin again.

Step 10

Return pan to heat, and cook until sauce bubbles then thickens.

Step 11

Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.

Step 12

Transfer to mixing bowl and cool slightly.

Step 13

Mix in the egg yolks.

Step 14

Boil the pasta as per directions on packet until tender.

Step 15

Drain pasta, and transfer to mixing bowl.

Step 16

Mix the hot pasta with the Parmesan cheese and eggs.

Step 17

Grease baking dish.

Step 18

Press pasta mix into base of pan.

Step 19

Top pasta mix with the meat sauce.

Step 20

Pour the Bechamel sauce over the meat sauce, then smooth the top.

Step 21

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.

Step 22

In a preheated oven, bake at 180°C (350°F) for 1 hour until golden brown.

Step 23

Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Pasta Casserole (Pastitsio)

What you’ll need

Let’s make it

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