Pastitsio is a versatile baked noodle dish enjoyed in Greece and other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern locations. It typically consists of tube-shaped pasta, meat sauce, and a béchamel sauce. Different versions exist, with variations in pasta, meat, and sauce.
Pastitsio is a baked noodle dish enjoyed in Greece and many other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern locations. The dish is quite versatile and many different versions exist, with the most typical Greek version consisting of a thick tube-shaped pasta, such as bucatini, cooked together with a traditional sauce of meat, tomatoes and spices and topped with a béchamel sauce, like a béchamel sauce. It is a hearty, hot meal, often considered a form of traditional Greek comfort food. Outside of Greece, pastitsio is particularly popular in Cyprus, where it is often referred to as macaronia tou fournou, and in Egypt, where it is often referred to simply as macaroni béchamel.
The word “pastitsio” is a Greek variation on the Italian word “pasticcio,” meaning a hodgepodge or scramble, and indeed this dish combines a number of different ingredients into one dish. In the basic Greek version, the pasta used is usually bucatini, although it can also be penne or any other type of short, thick, tube-shaped pasta. The pasta is cooked while the two sauces are being prepared, a red meat sauce with tomatoes and a creamy white sauce such as bechamel. All of these ingredients are then layered together in a roasting pan or pan and baked in the oven.
Even within Greece, there are different versions of pastitsio. Some recipes include ground lamb in ragu, while others call for ground beef. Cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg are commonly added to ragu for flavor. The white sauce used to complement pastitsio is often a béchamel sauce, or a white sauce made from milk and a light-colored roux, a thickening agent made from butter and white flour. However, some recipes call for morning sauce, a variation of béchamel sauce that includes grated cheese, while other recipes use an egg-based custard as a topping for the pasta dish.
On the island of Cyprus, pastitsio is a popular dish that is often eaten on festive and festive occasions. A common Cypriot variation on the dish substitutes for ground pork or lamb. As pastitsio is often eaten alongside a roast in Cyprus, some Cypriot versions omit the meat altogether and simply use the tomato sauce. The dish is often topped with a traditional Cyprus cheese called haloumi.
Another variant of the dish, called macaroni bechamel, is popular in Egypt. This version usually uses penne instead of the typical Greek bucatini. Onions are sometimes added to the ragout, and the béchamel sauce used to complement the dish can be béchamel sauce or morning.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
