Beef cheek pastitsio recipe

Every bite of this Greek dish is bursting with creamy flavour

Beef Cheek Pastitsio
This beef cheek pastitsio is a culinary journey straight to the heart of Greek cuisine
(Image credit: Magma Resort Santorini)

The pastitsio is Greece's answer to a lasagne, and this recipe from Magma Soul Santorini is made with beef cheeks, pasta, and a deliciously light yet creamy tasting béchamel foam. Every delicious bite is sure to transport you to the gorgeous island of Santorini.

Ingredients

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  • 1kg beef cheeks, cleaned
  • 200g onions, finely chopped
  • 100g carrots, cut into small cubes 
  • 100g celery, cut into small cubes
  • 100g leeks, chopped
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed 
  • 1 bay leaf 
  • 30ml white dry wine 
  • 20g ginger, sliced
  • 20g tomato pulp 
  • 200g demi-glace chicken broth 
  • Salt/pepper 
  • 40g olive oil


For the Béchamel foam:

  • 50g flour
  • 50g butter 
  • 1 litre milk 
  • Salt/white pepper

For the assembly:

  • 200g cooked pasta 
  • 20g butter
  • 60g meat with sauce
  • 20g chicken broth
  • whole nutmeg
  • Parmesan
  • salt

Method

  • Melt the butter over a medium heat.
  • Add the flour and mix quickly using a hand whisk, stirring until the mixture becomes liquidy without lumps.
  • Add the milk and whisk quickly.
  • Pass the mixture through a blender, strain through a fine sieve, and transfer to a whipping siphon.
  • Charge the mixture with 2 cartridges to create a foam (you can skip this siphon step at home).
  • Mix the pasta in a pan with a little butter and salt. 
  • Heat the cheeks with the sauce and add a little chicken broth. 
  • Place the pasta in a deep plate, top with the cheeks and sauce, and finish with the béchamel foam.
  • Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg and parmesan.

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Rebekah Evans joined The Week as newsletter editor in 2023 and has written on subjects ranging from Ukraine and Afghanistan to fast fashion and "brotox". She started her career at Reach plc, where she cut her teeth on news, before pivoting into personal finance at the height of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. Social affairs is another of her passions, and she has interviewed people from across the world and from all walks of life. Rebekah completed an NCTJ with the Press Association and has written for publications including The Guardian, The Week magazine, the Press Association and local newspapers.