Cheesy Greek Pastitsio Pasta Bake

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A gentle, family-friendly take on pastitsio: tubes of pasta in a mild beef and tomato sauce, blanketed in a creamy cheese béchamel and baked until golden. It tastes like the friendliest cross between lasagna and mac and cheese, with just a whisper of cinnamon warmth and nothing spicy anywhere.

Ingredients

• 12 oz ziti or penne pasta
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, finely grated or minced
• 1 1/2 cups tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the pasta 2 minutes short of the package time, then drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, brown the ground beef with the grated onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, for 6 to 8 minutes until no pink remains. Spoon off any excess fat.
3. Stir in the tomato passata, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until thick and glossy, then remove from the heat.
4. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Pour in the milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly, and cook 4 to 5 minutes until it thickens to a pourable custard. Off the heat, whisk in half the parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
5. Stir the drained pasta into the meat sauce along with 1/2 cup of the sauce from the saucepan, then spread it evenly in the baking dish. Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the top, smooth it flat, and scatter over the rest of the parmesan.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and golden at the edges. Rest 10 minutes before cutting into squares so the layers hold together.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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