Cypriot Pastitsio - Baked Pasta with Bechamel Sauce - Cyprus Style Lasagne - Makaronia tou Fournou

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and provides a similar richness.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: soy milk

Almond milk is lower in calories, while soy milk is often cheaper.

Chop the onion and parsley.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onion.

Add 500 grams of minced meat to the pan and cook until browned.

Pour in 1/2 cup of hot water, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of salt, and mix well.

Optionally, grate 1 tomato and add it to the mixture along with some cinnamon.

Cook the pasta for 7 minutes, shorter than the package instructions.

In a separate bowl, mix 6 tablespoons of flour with 1 liter of milk until smooth.

Add 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of vegetable seasoning mix, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the milk mixture and stir.

Add half of the grated halloumi to the mixture.

Grease the baking dish.

Layer half of the cooked pasta in the baking dish, followed by half of the béchamel sauce mixed with the pasta.

Spread the minced meat mixture over the pasta layer.

Add the remaining half of the pasta on top, followed by the remaining béchamel sauce.

Top with the remaining grated halloumi.

Bake for 50-55 minutes at 180°C (or 356℉) in the upper-lower setting of the oven.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens