Pastitsio is a dish that, although having elements from other cuisines, has now become a traditional part of Greek culinary heritage.
The béchamel
Let’s start with the béchamel. I actually remember my mother struggling every time she started to make it. This classic French sauce has plagued many seasoned cooks.
Begin by making the roux and heat butter with flour until the flour is cooked and changes colour slightly. This flour is made up of amylose and amylopectin molecules, and as it heats, these molecules expand and gelatinise, creating starch paste.
When pouring the milk and mixing it with the egg yolk, the starch molecules break and absorb the liquid, creating a smooth, lump-free béchamel. In the end, contrary to French tradition, add nutmeg, egg yolk, and a little parmesan, turning the sauce into a mornay.
These ingredients enhance the taste, aroma and colour of the sauce.
The minced meat
The minced meat, usually beef, is sautéed in a well-heated pan. The heat causes the proteins to denature, changing the texture of the meat. During roasting, the Maillard reactions take place, which gives the minced meat its wonderful colour and strong aromas.
That’s why putting the minced meat in the pan is important only when our fatty substance has “burnt”.
At the same time, break up the minced meat well with the spoon so that small lumpy pieces are created. Next, cook the meat with dry onion, tomato concache, garlic and spices such as bay leaf, allspice and cinnamon, which release their aromas.
When the minced meat has cooled slightly, add some parmesan to enhance the umami flavour and some breadcrumbs to absorb any liquids released during cooking.
The al dente pasta
For the pasta, use a large pot with well-salted water or broth for proper seasoning and reduced loss of starch. Add bucatini or penne to the boiling water and mix gently so it doesn’t stick.
Follow the suggested cooking time but remove it 2-3 minutes earlier, as it will also cook slightly in the oven. At the end, mix it with some minced meat and egg white so that it sets better during baking.
The composition
The composition is simple: Layer the pasta first, then the minced meat, and finally the rich béchamel. On top of that, add some breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan to give it a beautiful colour when baking.
Click HERE for a delicious pastitsio recipe
Recipe by Maria Papakonstantinou. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.
READ MORE: Moussaka: The science behind perfecting Greece’s favourite dish.
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