Traditional Pastitsio with Roasted Green Beans

A classic Greek baked pasta dish with thick macaroni, rich ground beef and tomato sauce, and a topping of creamy, cheesy béchamel, complemented by simply roasted green beans.

• Prep: 50 min
• Cook: 1 hr 30 min
• Total: 2 hr 20 min
• Servings: 8
• Cuisine: Greek
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $5.56/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• bake
• comfort food
• savory
• rich
• classic
• crowd-pleaser

Ingredients

• 1 pound pastitsio pasta (thick macaroni or bucatini, uncooked)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pound ground beef
• 1 yellow onion (medium, finely chopped)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
• 0.5 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon ground allspice
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter
• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cup whole milk (warmed)
• 1.5 cup Gruyère cheese (grated)
• 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs (large, beaten)
• 2 pound fresh green beans (trimmed)

Instructions

1. For the meat sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain off excess fat.
2. Add chopped yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, tomato paste, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook until mostly evaporated. Add crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/8 cup fresh parsley and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
4. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pastitsio pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well. In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with 1 large egg and 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese.
5. For the béchamel sauce: In a separate medium saucepan, melt unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in all-purpose flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Gradually whisk in warmed whole milk until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese, ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Let cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the remaining 1 beaten egg.
7. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the seasoned pasta evenly over the bottom of the dish.
8. Evenly spread the meat sauce over the pasta. Top with the creamy béchamel sauce, spreading it to the edges. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
9. While pastitsio bakes, prepare green beans: Toss fresh green beans with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet.
10. Roast in the same oven as the pastitsio for 15-20 minutes, or until tender-crisp. You can add them during the last 20-30 minutes of the pastitsio's cooking time.
11. Let pastitsio rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with roasted green beans and sprinkle with remaining fresh parsley.

Notes

For best slicing results, allow the pastitsio to rest after baking. If you prefer a crunchier green bean, roast them for the full 20 minutes outside the oven during the rest period.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 750
• Protein: 45 g
• Carbohydrates: 58 g
• Fat: 39 g
• Fiber: 7 g
• Sodium: 850 mg
• Saturated Fat: 20 g
• Sugar: 10 g
• Cholesterol: 170 mg