Greek Pastitsio

Name: Greek Pastitsio
Yield: makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 1 (16-ounce) package dried macaroni; 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted; 2 cups whole milk; 6 large eggs, beaten; 8 ounces mizithra cheese, shredded, or romano cheese, grated (2 cups); 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (2 cups); 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (3 ounces); 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg; 1 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1 1/2 pounds ground beef; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste; 1/2 cup dry red wine; 1/2 cup beef broth (see page 201); 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 10 sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed

December 9, 2011

This Greek casserole is traditionally pasta baked in a flavorful meat sauce and topped with another sauce, such as béchamel. But we decided to skip the extra layer of sauce and cover ours with layers of buttery, flaky phyllo dough instead. The phyllo adds a nice crunch to this delicious dish, making a truly scrumptious, savory pie. Don’t pull out your best dinnerware for this one. It’s so tasty, you’ll want to throw your plate and yell “Opa”! Note that the cheeses won’t really melt. They will soften and become nice and creamy, but it won’t be gooey like a Cheddar or American cheese.

Recipe notes

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