Host Bridget Lancaster shares the steps to making a hearty Pastitsio.
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I mean, I was six minutes into this and I forgot what you were making.
Greek here as well, if you can cook the pasta in the béchamel, that means the béchamel is not thick enough–never have seen that before….I think the béchamel Greeks make is much thicker and not a classic béchamel as far as ratios go….interesting that you are using oregano and mint….of course the classic is cinnamon but I have also seen combos with that and clove or allspice, even bay leaf….I personally use cinnamon and cloves….I also used powdered cinnamon because you have more control, that whole stick thing some Greeks do you can't control the intensity and you don't want it tasting like dessert….oregano sounds interesting but mint….I would have to try it before I knock it….I've also seen the yolks go only in the béchamel and the whites can be mixed in w the pasta and the meat so it doesn't go to waste….
This looks amazing. Definitely will be making this.
DO NOT MAKE THIS VERSION. This was absolutely disgusting. I followed the recipe to a T. It tasted like garbage. I wouldn't feed it to a dog. Thanks for costing me a ton of money worth of ingredients and all evening in the kitchen. DISGUSTING.
Pre-peeled garlic is probably from China and is dangerously poisonous if consumed on a regular basis.
I live in Cincy and eat Skyline, Gold Star and Blue Ash Chili. I literally made this recipe this evening. . I spent almost 3 hours making a less flavorful 3 way lol. The béchamel just lacks flavor. I adore ATK, and will continue to make their recipes. This is great for the rest of the country, but for the greater Cincinnati area, just get Skyline.
This reminds me of moussaka which is also a Greek disk as well
Mint in Pastitsio? Nah. (Michal Symon and Cat Cora have good recipes.)
Thank you for sharing your time and talent ❤yumilicious
We laymen need a definitive explanation of what simmering is. Every time I make this dish, I end up with watery liquid instead of a creamy mixture.
I made a vegan version tonite for my boyfriend, and it was amazing! I used a pkg of Impossible Burger, almond milk, plant butter, and vegan cheese. A++!!
No red pepper flakes or spearmint. Not authentic. Why do you have to add hot pepper and gobs of black pepper in everything you cook? That's why I don't watch your shows anymore. I like FLAVOR.
This recipe looks amazing! I'm so excited to try it! Love you guys!
Looks amazing. Just an observation but seem like a Greek spiced lasagna. Something worth trying.
There’s not enough meat and there’s not enough Panagia icons in the background. There’s no yia yia love.
omg I love this dish
So this is a Greek take on lasagne?
Ingredients listed and instructions :I wrote this out for myself in order to make it tonight.
If there are corrections to be made, let me know.
Sauce:
1 TBSP Water
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Table Salt
Mix:
the first 3 Ingredients to dissolve.
Add:
8 Ounces 93% lean ground beef
Mix: the ground beef into the water mixture.
Set aside.
In Medium Saucepan
Add:
1 Tablespoon cooking oil on Medium Heat till it shimmers.
Add:
1/2 Cup finely diced onion
Cook till softened, about 3 minutes.
Add together in small bowl:
3 grated Garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp regular paprika
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried spearmint
Add: spice/garlic mixture into softened onions.
Cook: an additional 1-2 minutes till aromatic.
Add: 1/4 cup red wine (Pinot noir or other drinkable type)
Cook: an additional 3 minutes
Add: 1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
meat mixture
Stir: to combine and break up the meat pieces.
REDUCE heat to Low.
Cover with a lid.
Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve. (Can be cooked ahead up to 3 days in advance)
Béchamel Sauce and Pasta
Medium saucepan on medium heat
2 TBSP Butter – melt
In separate bowl Mix:
2 TBSP AP Flour
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 grated clove garlic
Add: flour mixture to melted butter and cook on medium heat for about 1 minute- till starts to toast.
Add: 4 cups whole milk
Whisk and add milk slowly at first to prevent lumps, as it thickens, add all the milk.
Let come up to a simmer.
Add: 8 ounces of Ziti pasta
Stir: and let it return to a simmer. Stir as needed to keep pasta from sticking.
Grate: one cup of Kassiri cheese.
(Substitute 2 parts provolone 1 part pecorino Romano if needed)
Stir: roux mixture in pan and add pasta. Stir.
Turn heat Off.
Add: a lid and let steep for 15 minutes.
Spray: an 8 inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
Strain: pasta by spoonfuls and add to the dish leaving most of the sauce behind.
Dollop the reserved meat sauce on top and spread evenly with a spatula.
Whisk: in 1/3 more of grated cheese into the béchamel sauce and Add:
1 beaten egg & whisk well.
Pour: completed béchamel mixture onto meat sauce layer evenly.
Sprinkle: remaining 1/3 cheese on top
Place on a rimmed baking pan to catch possible overflow and BAKE AT 375 oven for 40-50 minutes till browned and bubbly.
Let cool 15 mins before serving.
Not my Papou's recipe, but I'm going to try it for sure!
Can you leave out the red wine? Any substitutions?
Thank you for this. Yasou.
I made this for Christmas dinner and it turned out amazing. Many thanks!!
The beef reminds me what your sloppy joe mixture should look like before you place it on a bun. Ohhh, I love this dish!!!
I am happy to see the🤗 Greek subscribers commenting! We are going to get those fine little touches that makes their families dishes so delicious!!!❤😉👏👏
As a Greek professional chef this is completely wrong
This looks delicious!
OPA!!
Had a local restaurant who use to serve this on Thursdays. I never had it before. It became my favorite dish. And it was even better the next day as leftovers. They changed their menu a couple years ago and this was one of the casualties. They replaced unit with a fantastic BBQ pork mac and cheese. But, I ask every now and then if they will bring it back.
They don't add anything to pre ground nutmeg. But it only takes hours to lose a bit of its essential oils. It also lacks the skin usually used to make mace (the spice). Add nutmeg and 1/8 of the total as mace. That might do it.
Kasseri cheese is excellent on Tsoureki, the Greek sweet Easter bread, they go together so well.
I give up! Every time I find one of your recipes, the recipe is blurry and cannot read the ingredients. Why is that? I guess one has to pay monies to get the recipe!
3 months? Now Bribrget, I love you, but that is too long to cook the onions!
Very nice
Pastitsio
You need 4 layers
The bottom sauce layer
The cooked pasta
The bechamel
The cheese
Cook some pasta
I use parpadelle, fusilli, rotini, linguine, etc. I like thinner pastas, rigatoni can be a little thick and coarse. You can use what you like, just don't over cook it. Bite it, it is tender. Al dente`
til al dente`
Set it aside, keep it warm.
Cook the Bechamel
2 TBL butter and flour per cup of milk or 1/2&1/2 is the ratio
I use about 3 cups 1/2&1/2. Bechamel or white sauce goes by thin, thick or mega thick. The amount of butter/flour makes the thickness. Very Thick sits on a metal spoon and doesn't drip.
add a little salt, pepper, nutmeg
Make the thickening first, melt the butter, add the flavorings and flour, whisk and cook a minute on medium, don't let it brown. ALWAYS taste for the salt. You can add more, you can't take it away if too much.
Add the milk, whisk and cook for about 10 minutes.
This needs to be THICK.
Cook the Meat Sauce
2 TBL EVOO in a medium pan
Add 1 teaspoon each of dried Organo, Basil
Sprinkle of fennel seed (fennel seed is added to Italian sausage and gives that anise flavor)
Mince a couple garlic, add it. You add all this FIRST to the oil, you will smell the aroma, that wakes up the herbs. Enjoy.
Sprinkle of Salt and Pepper to taste
Add 3/4 of a TUBE of Tomato Paste, let it "bloom" or cook a bit, the TUBE is so much better, nothing other than tomatoes and salt. Think about that.
1-3 TBL Sugar ( you can skip this if you prefer, I like my sauce a tiny bit sweet)
Add 1 Lb Ground Beef, Turkey or Pork Sausage til not pink
Mix this really well, I use a serving fork to break down the meat.
Then add 1 Big can Cento or Mutti Crushed Tomatoes or Peeled Tomatoes (I puree the peeled tomatoes first and add with the juice)
This needs to be THICK.
Preheat Oven to 375
Get a 9x13pan
Meat Sauce first on the bottom
Then the pasta
Then the bechamel
Then the cheese, slices of provolone, grated Italian cheeses, whatever.
Sprinkle some EVOO over the cheese and cook to bubble and brown, about 25-30 min. Let set for about 5 minutes and eat.
You could make a Veggie version with the sauce instead of meat, cook the veggies first to tender in bite size pieces and add to the sauce.
Looked great until I saw cinnamon…..uhgg…..like that retched French Canadian mincemeat spread full of cinnamon
To each their own and I love Greek food