Pastitsio

Moussaka might be the most famous Greek casserole, but it certainly isn’t the only one. Similar to Greek moussaka, pastitsio starts out with layers of spiced meat and gets finished with creamy, cheesy béchamel sauce before getting baked. Pastitsio, however, uses pasta, specifically the titular extra-large hollow noodles sometimes referred to as Greek macaroni (we love Loi brand). Bucatini will work in a pinch, as will Romano cheese subbed in for the salty, fragrant Greek cheese kasseri, which you can find at specialty markets.

While you can make your pastitsio from start to finish all in one day, we highly recommend cooking the sauce the day before you want to serve the casserole for the cleanest slices and most flavorful finished product. Chilling the meat sauce overnight thickens it up so you can spread it on top of the pasta in a defined layer (which will result in the most impressive-looking slices).