Main course · Greek

Classic Beef Pastitsio with Cinnamon Bechamel

Name: Classic Beef Pastitsio with Cinnamon Bechamel
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 500 g beef mince; 300 g macaroni; 1 onion; 2 garlic cloves; 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon; 50 g butter; 50 g plain flour; 600 ml whole milk; 2 eggs; 60 g parmesan, grated; 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg

85 min Serves 4 ~915 kcal/serving ~£11.50 (£2.88/serving)

Dietary and allergen labels, nutrition and cost are worked out automatically from each recipe’s ingredients and are a guide only. Check the labels on what you buy yourself — especially for allergies or coeliac disease. More about recipe labels.

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Ingredients

500 g beef mince
300 g macaroni
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
50 g butter
50 g plain flour
600 ml whole milk
2 eggs
60 g parmesan, grated
0.25 tsp ground nutmeg

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 915 kcal
Protein: 49.9 g
Carbohydrate: 77.6 g
of which sugars: 15.3 g
Fat: 44.5 g
of which saturates: 22.4 g
Fibre: 4.4 g
Salt: 1.36 g

Estimated from typical values for each ingredient — a guide, not a substitute for the label on what you actually buy.

Method

1
Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan, gas 5). Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic.
2
Fry the beef mince in a dry pan over a high heat until browned and no pink remains, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
3
Stir in the tinned chopped tomatoes and ground cinnamon. Season well and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.
4
Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in boiling water for 2 minutes less than the pack says, then drain.
5
For the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, until thickened, then stir in the nutmeg and leave to cool slightly before beating in the eggs and half the parmesan.
6
Layer the macaroni and the beef sauce in a large baking dish, then pour over the bechamel and scatter with the remaining parmesan.
7
Bake for 35 minutes until golden and set. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

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