Pastitsio

Pastitsio

Pastitsio (Greek: παστίτσιο; IPA: [paˈsti.tsi.o]) or macaronia tou fournou is a Greek or generally Middle Eastern baked pasta dish including pasta, meat sauce, and a custard or béchamel sauce.

Greece

The usual Greek version has a bottom layer is bucatini or other tubular pasta with cheese and egg as a binder; a middle layer of ground meat (beef, veal or lamb) with tomato and nutmeg or allspice; another layer of pasta; and a top layer of sauce, varing from an egg-based custard to a flour-based Béchamel or a Béchamel with cheese known as Mornay sauce in France. Grated cheese and nutmeg are often sprinkled on top. Pastitsio is a common dish, and is often served as a main course, with a salad.

Cyprus

In Cyprus it is an essential dish during celebrations such as Easter, where it is served along with the spit roasted meat. Recipes vary, but usually the meat sauce in the middle is made of pork, tomatoes are only sometimes used, and it is flavoured with mint and parsley. The top is sprinkled with grated Haloumi cheese, though cheese is only sometimes added to the white sauce.^[1]

Egypt

Macaroni Béchamel (مكرونة باشميل) or Macaroni with white sauce is the Egyptian version. It is typically made with penne pasta, a layer of cooked spiced meat with onions, and Béchamel or Mornay sauce.

A slice of Egyptian Macaroni Béchamel

Name and origin

Pastitsio takes its name from the Italian pasticcio, a large family of pies often involving pasta and ragù. Many Italian versions include a pastry crust, some include bechamel.^[2]

Footnotes

1. ^ http://thursdayfordinner.com/2008/11/irenes-pastitsio/
2. ^ Vincenzo Buonassisi gives 41 kinds in Il Nuovo Codice della Pasta, Rizzoli 1985; see also Touring Club Italiano, Guida all'Italia Gastronomica, 1984.

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Pastitsio