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Pastichio Greek Comfort Food
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 
Pastichio is reminiscent of a weeknight casserole on a cold night, only it’s Greek! The subtle flavor of cinnamon mixed with a meat sauce and the rich creamy sauce and noodles makes it delectable, addictive and very rich. The original recipe for this adapted version came from “The Art of Greek Cookery” by the women of St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York. The first time I made this was for my college humanities class for our Greek history celebration in 1971.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 8
Author: Barbara
Ingredients
Noodle Mix
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 lb beef or lamb ground lamb is a more authentic and fattier meat to use
  • ½ small can tomato paste
  • 1-2 tbsp cinnamon
  • salt and pepper
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 lb zita pasta or macaroni
  • 1/2 # mozzarella, shredded
  • ¼ cup romano and/or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Cream Sauce
  • 7 tbsp butter
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 1 qt whole milk, hot
  • 3 eggs
  • salt
Instructions
Noodle Mix
  1. On medium high, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.
  2. Break up the meat into chunks and add it to the onions and garlic. Saute on medium high until browned.
  3. Add the ½ can of tomato paste, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Saute on medium high briefly. Add the water. Simmer on a high simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile cook the Ziti until it is al dente or has a toothy texture.
  5. Coat a 9 x 12 pan with butter and then sprinkle some grated Romano onto the butter.
  6. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cream Sauce
  1. Melt the butter on medium low.
  2. Heat the milk until it is hot but not scalded.
  3. Raise the heat to medium and add the flour to the butter, stirring vigorously.
  4. With the heat on medium low, and when the flour is a golden color, gradually add the hot milk to the flour, whipping it by hand and allowing it to thicken without clumping.
  5. Once it is fully mixed, continue to stir and thicken.
  6. Remove the thickened cream from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
  7. Beat the three eggs until they are fully amalgamated.
  8. To temper the eggs so that they don’t cook independently from the sauce, add a tablespoon of the hot cream to the eggs, and stir quickly. Add another tablespoon to the eggs, briskly beating. After tempering the eggs, add the eggs slowly to the cream mixture while briskly mixing. The cream should be smooth.
Assembly

  1. Put one half of the noodles into the base of the pan. Top the noodles with one half of the meat mixture. 

  2. Top the meat with one half of the shredded cheese

  3. Pour one half of the cream over the noodle mixture.
  4. Top with the rest of the noodles, then the meat, then the cream, the shredded cheese, and top with a sprinkling of the Romano/Parmisan mix.
  5. Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 325 degrees for another 40 minutes. The Pastichio should have a lovely golden brown crust on top and the edges should be bubbling.

  6. Let sit for 10 minutes and gobble up this comfort food.