Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio)
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 11, 2011
Time
2½ hours
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
MEAT SAUCE
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped fine3 tablespoons tomato paste 6 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 ½ pounds 93 percent lean ground beef Salt and pepper ½ cup red wine 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce ½ cup grated Pecorino RomanoPASTA AND BECHAMEL SAUCE
Salt and pepper 8 ounces elbow macaroni 5 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup all-purpose flour 3 garlic cloves, minced5 cups whole milk 1 ½ cups grated Pecorino Romano 3 large eggs ⅓ cup Greek yogurtBefore You Begin
You will need a total of 4 ounces of Pecorino Romano cheese. Use whole milk Greek yogurt in this recipe.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and cinnamon and cook until paste begins to darken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beef and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine and cook until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 2 to 4 minutes. Add tomato sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in Romano. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add 1 tablespoon salt and macaroni and cook until nearly al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain again and transfer to large bowl.
- Melt butter in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat. Add flour and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and reduced to 4 cups, about 12 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 1 cup Romano until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir 2 cups béchamel into macaroni until combined. Transfer sauced pasta to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Beat eggs in now-empty pasta bowl until smooth. Whisk 1 cup béchamel into egg mixture. Slowly whisk tempered egg mixture into remaining béchamel. Stir in yogurt.
- Spread meat sauce over macaroni and top with egg-béchamel mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Romano and bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve.
- MAKE AHEAD Meat sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days. Microwave, covered, until heated through, about 1 minute, before proceeding with step 2.
Time
2½ hoursYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
MEAT SAUCE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
½ cup red wine
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano
PASTA AND BECHAMEL SAUCE
Salt and pepper
8 ounces elbow macaroni
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups whole milk
1 ½ cups grated Pecorino Romano
3 large eggs
⅓ cup Greek yogurt
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
MEAT SAUCE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
½ cup red wine
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano
PASTA AND BECHAMEL SAUCE
Salt and pepper
8 ounces elbow macaroni
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups whole milk
1 ½ cups grated Pecorino Romano
3 large eggs
⅓ cup Greek yogurt
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
MEAT SAUCE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
½ cup red wine
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano
PASTA AND BECHAMEL SAUCE
Salt and pepper
8 ounces elbow macaroni
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups whole milk
1 ½ cups grated Pecorino Romano
3 large eggs
⅓ cup Greek yogurt
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Béchamel, a dairy-based white sauce thickened with a butter and flour roux, formed the basis for our Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio), but it early versions were extremely bland. Pecorino Romano helped boost the flavor, as did the addition of minced garlic and Greek yogurt.
To keep the grease factor to a minimum, we used 93 percent lean ground beef instead of traditional lamb. Adding a little red wine bolstered the acidity enough to balance the rich meat sauce and béchamel.
Before You Begin
You will need a total of 4 ounces of Pecorino Romano cheese. Use whole milk Greek yogurt in this recipe.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and cinnamon and cook until paste begins to darken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beef and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine and cook until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 2 to 4 minutes. Add tomato sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in Romano. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add 1 tablespoon salt and macaroni and cook until nearly al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain again and transfer to large bowl.
- Melt butter in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat. Add flour and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and reduced to 4 cups, about 12 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 1 cup Romano until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir 2 cups béchamel into macaroni until combined. Transfer sauced pasta to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Beat eggs in now-empty pasta bowl until smooth. Whisk 1 cup béchamel into egg mixture. Slowly whisk tempered egg mixture into remaining béchamel. Stir in yogurt.
- Spread meat sauce over macaroni and top with egg-béchamel mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Romano and bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve.
- MAKE AHEAD Meat sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days. Microwave, covered, until heated through, about 1 minute, before proceeding with step 2.
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