Layers of pasta, slow cinnamon-spiced meat, halloumi and mint under a soft nutmeg béchamel, baked until golden.
Ingredients List
Meat sauce
Cheese and herb mix (for the layers)
Pasta
Béchamel
Method
- Make the meat sauce: heat a good glug of olive oil in a large pan and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the pork and beef mince and brown well, breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon bark and parsley and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until rich and most of the liquid has cooked away. Remove the cinnamon bark.
- Cook the pasta: boil the pastitsio pasta in well-salted water until just al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil so it does not stick.
- Make the béchamel (Yiayia’s way): put the milk, flour and eggs into the saucepan off the heat and whizz with a stick blender until completely smooth. Set over medium heat and stir constantly. As it warms and begins to thicken, add the butter and plenty of freshly grated nutmeg, and keep stirring until thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in 1 cup of grated kefalograviera until melted and smooth.
- Combine the grated halloumi, grated kefalograviera and chopped mint for the layers.
- Assemble in a deep baking tray: spread half the pasta in the base and scatter with a third of the cheese and mint. Spread all of the meat sauce over the top. Add the remaining pasta and another third of the cheese. Pour the béchamel evenly over the top and finish with the last of the cheese.
- Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and set.
- Rest for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting, so it sets and slices into clean squares.
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