This baked pasta dish is the Greek version of lasagna — but way better. I learned how to make my dad's recipe, and it's perfect for leftovers.

I learned how to make my dad's pastitsio, a classic Greek pasta dish that I think tastes way better than lasagna.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderI learned how to make my dad's famous pastitsio, a classic Greek pasta dish.It's creamier than a baked ziti and meatier than your classic lasagna. It's also super easy to make.I think pastitsio is far superior to lasagna and should be part of everyone's pasta repertoire.When it comes to pasta, the dish that I always look forward to most when I visit home is a Greek classic called pastitsio.Pastitsio (pronounced pa-stie-chio) is a baked pasta dish with ground meat and a béchamel sauce. It's creamier than a baked ziti and meatier than your classic lasagna. But overall, it's just extremely comforting — and almost impossible to eat just one serving.I've been eating pastitsio since before I can remember, but it wasn't until I left California that I realized how much I would miss my parents' Greek cooking. There were many cold New York nights when I dreamed of a steaming bowl of avgolemono soup or a heaping plate of pastitsio as my radiator banged on and on in my tiny East Village apartment.After many years of lusting after my favorite homemade pasta dish, I finally asked my dad to teach me how to make his famous pastitsio. Lucky for you, I persuaded him to share the recipe, too.Pastitsio is made with a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge.My dad's pastitsio includes ground beef, penne pasta, and marinara sauce.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderTo make a pan of pastitsio for the family, you'll need:1 box of penne pasta1 pound of ground beef1 egg½ jar of marinara sauce (in the words of Ina Garten, "store-bought is fine!")½ stick of unsalted butter½ of a yellow onionParsleyMy dad's béchamel sauce also requires only a few simple ingredients.The béchamel sauce includes milk, eggs, butter, and flour.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderYou'll just need:2 eggs2 cups of milk (my dad always uses 2%, but any kind works)1 stick of unsalted butter¼ cup of flourUnlike lasagna, pastitsio is a dish that doesn't require much prep.First, I chopped the parsley.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderBefore I got cooking, all I needed to do was roughly chop the onion and parsley.I also got my pan for the pastitsio ready.I brushed my baking dish with olive oil.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderI brushed the entire glass baking dish with olive oil, which my dad says helps keep the pasta from sticking to the edges once it comes out of the oven.Then, it was time to get the noodles and onions cooking.As I boiled the pasta, I started cooking my onions.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderAfter bringing a big pot of salted water to a boil, I threw in the box of penne pasta.Then, I added my chopped onions to a pan with some olive oil over medium heat.Once the onions had browned, I threw in my parsley and ground beef.I salted the ground beef after adding it to the pan.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderPer my dad's instructions, I salted the beef and used a rubber spatula to break up the meat."Let it brown and mix everything together," he told me. "Keep stirring until it's fully cooked, which takes around five minutes."After the meat had browned, I cracked my egg right on top.I stirred everything together until the egg was fully cooked.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderI stirred everything together until the egg was fully cooked and had mixed with the ground beef.My dad says this step is optional, but he swears it makes the pastitsio even fluffier and tastier.Then, I poured half a jar of marinara sauce into the mix.My dad recommends using marinara over tomato sauce.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderMy dad said you could also use tomato sauce for this recipe, but he believes marinara sauce is easier and "just tastes better."I mixed everything together and let the marinara sauce cook with the ground beef for a few minutes.The sauce looked nice and thick after a few minutes.Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider"This allows for better absorption of the flavors," my dad told me.After a few minutes, the sauce looked nice and thick. I took it off the heat and turned my attention to the pasta.Once the penne was al dente, I drained my pasta.My dad adds cold water to the pot while draining pasta to help stop the cooking process.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderMy dad recommends adding some cold water to the pot while draining the pasta to help stop the cooking process.It was time for one of my dad's special tricks: throwing the pasta back into the pot with a few knobs of butter.Adding butter to the pot.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderThe pot, which is off the heat, should still be warm enough to melt the butter."Butter is always good," my dad told me mischievously as he mixed the penne. "It makes the pasta nicer. Everything goes with butter."It was time to start building the pastitsio.I added half the penne to the bottom layer of the pan, covering it.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderFirst, we covered the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of the cooked penne (using about half of the pasta).My dad told me that pastitsio is traditionally made with bucatini in Greece. But once he started making it in the US, he preferred using penne."Penne just fits so easily into the pan," he said. "I find this works better."Then, we added the ground-beef mixture.I added all the ground beef mixture on top.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderWe used the entire pan of ground beef for the second layer of the pastitsio.We added the rest of the penne before starting the béchamel sauce.I added the rest of the penne on top.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderMy dad always makes the béchamel sauce right before putting the pastitsio in the oven, which he says makes it a lot easier to spread over the penne.To start the béchamel sauce, I cracked the two eggs into a small bowl.I then slightly beat the eggs with a fork.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderI slightly beat them with a fork and set them aside, per my dad's instructions.In a small saucepan, I melted the stick of butter.I melted a few knobs of butter before adding the milk and flour.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderMy dad wasn't lying when he said this recipe has plenty of butter.I threw in the flour and milk.I added the milk slowly while continuously stirring the sauce.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderMy dad said it's important to slowly add the two cups of milk while simultaneously mixing the sauce over medium-high heat.My dad got behind the stove to show me how to properly mix the béchamel.My dad mixing the béchamel sauce.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderThe key is to slowly add the beaten eggs once the sauce starts thickening."You just have to feel it," he told me sagely.And make sure you keep stirring, or the sauce will stick to the bottom of the pan.My dad continued mixing the sauce until it came to a boil.My dad told me to take the sauce off the stove after I saw the first bubble.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderThe second you see those first few bubbles, take it off the stove, he told me.It should take, at most, about five minutes total.Once the sauce was ready, my dad poured it on top of that second layer of pasta.Once the sauce was ready, my dad poured it right on top of the penne.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderIt was time to get baking!I put the pan into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes, until the top layer had slightly browned.The pastitsio takes about 30 minutes to bake in the oven.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderOverall, the pastitsio takes an hour to make. And one pan can easily serve up to eight.All that was left to do was dig in!The pastitsio tastes even better if you add some feta cheese.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderI've had more plates of pastitsio than I can count, and it has never, ever let me down. The meat filling is so savory and comforting with the penne, while the béchamel sauce is light and creamy. Plus, it's a nice contrast to the texture of the pasta on top — which has a great crunch.And, as with all Greek dishes, the pastitsio tastes even better if you add some feta cheese.I may be biased, but I think my dad's pastitsio is way better than lasagna — and should be in everyone's pasta repertoire.My dad proudly holding up a plate of his famous pastitsio.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderPastitsio is super easy to make, takes only an hour total in the kitchen, and is perfect for a dinner party or as a dish that'll give you plenty of leftovers. It's a low-lift endeavor compared with most lasagna recipes, and just feels like a hug.No matter the weather, day, or occasion, pastitsio has long been a family favorite. My grandma — who, like me, wasn't the most naturally talented in the kitchen — used to make it often for my dad when he was a kid.We'll probably never really know whether cooking skills (or lack thereof) are passed down from generation to generation. But, thankfully, great recipes can be inherited, too. Now I'm passing this one down to you.Want to learn more Greek recipes? You should try my dad's favorite quick Greek pasta dish and his Greek roasted potatoes.Read the original article on Business Insider

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