Greek · Dinner

Pastitsio (Greek baked pasta)

Name: Pastitsio (Greek baked pasta)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 pound bucatini, pastitsio pasta, or ziti; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for pasta water; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef; 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/2 cup dry red wine; 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14 ounces; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2/3 cup all-purpose flour; 5 cups whole milk, warmed; 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 3 pasteurized large eggs, separated; 2 cups finely grated kefalotyri, kasseri, or Parmesan, divided

Tubular pasta layered with cinnamon-scented beef sauce and a tall, golden kefalotyri béchamel—the Greek cousin of baked ziti and lasagna.

About 2 hr 15 minTotal

About 1 hr 55 minActive

$$$Cost

AdvancedDifficulty

Makes 10 servings

Equipment

Use another light-colored 9 × 13-inch metal pan and begin checking browning early.
Best metal 9-by-13 pan
USA Pan 9-by-13-Inch Rectangular Baking Pan · 1110RC
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use another light-colored 9 × 13-inch metal pan and begin checking browning early.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched exact interior dimensions and metal heat behavior, then checked material, maximum temperature, coating care, stable model identity, and retail destination. Kwilt has not baked with this pan.
USA Pan 9-by-13-Inch Rectangular Baking Pan · 1110RC: The exact 9-by-13-inch baking surface and aluminized-steel construction match recipes whose dough depth and bottom browning depend on a standard metal pan. Trade-off: The nonstick surface calls for hand washing and nonmetal tools, and efficient heat conduction can brown faster than glass.
Another workable path: Use another light-colored 9-by-13-inch metal pan; glass changes heat behavior and is not an equal substitute for every high-heat bread method.
Sources
USA Pan 1110RC specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 10 servings

1 pound bucatini, pastitsio pasta, or ziti
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for pasta water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 can crushed tomatoes, 14 ounces
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk, warmed
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 pasteurized large eggs, separated
2 cups finely grated kefalotyri, kasseri, or Parmesan, divided

Instructions

Boil pasta in well-salted water 3 minutes short of al dente. Drain, cool 5 minutes, then toss with egg whites and 1/2 cup cheese; align long noodles in an oiled or spread ziti evenly.
Heat olive oil in a wide skillet and brown beef to 160°F. Add onion for 6 minutes, garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then wine; reduce nearly dry.
Stir in tomatoes, cinnamon, cloves, bay, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes until thick and concentrated; discard bay and spread over pasta.
Melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm milk and remaining salt; simmer until very thick. Remove from heat, add nutmeg and 1 cup cheese, temper in yolks, then heat gently to 160°F without boiling.
Spread béchamel over meat sauce and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes until puffed, golden, and 165°F in the center. Rest at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

GreeceGreek household cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Pastitsio is Greece’s structured baked pasta: tubular noodles form a firm base beneath cinnamon- and clove-scented meat sauce and a substantial yolk-enriched béchamel.

Pastitsio is Greek baked pasta, not an obscure fine-dining dish. Its recognizable architecture is tubular pasta, aromatic tomato meat sauce, and a thick béchamel cap. Aligning long noodles gives the classic cross-section; ordinary ziti is an accessible fallback. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Follow the near-perfect 142-vote structure closely, retain Greek spice and béchamel identity, and add an immediate English title clarifier plus ziti fallback so the cuisine anchor feels familiar rather than specialist.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe