Creamy, Cheesy Pastitsio

Tourists and family visitors have been pouring into Crete (and the rest of Greece) for the past few weeks as summer vacations get into full swing, and favorite dishes with summer vegetables like moussaka and eggplant little shoes (melitzanes papoutsakia) are showing up on menus in restaurants and homes around the country. Although this recipe for pastitsio doesn't include summer vegetables, it's a summer favorite because it goes wonderfully well with summer salads, and... well, because pasta is always a favorite!

Making pastitsio is similar to making lasagna. The ziti pasta (long tubular pasta) is layered with a meat sauce and cheese, but there the similarity ends. Pastitsio (say: pah-STEET-see-oh) is topped with a thick layer of creamy béchamel sauce, then sprinkled with more cheese and baked. Comfort food at its finest!

Here in Greece, pastitsio is served in huge pieces (the piece in the photo is on a dinner plate). Whether you serve pieces this large or not, add a crisp green summer salad of Romaine lettuce with spring onions and dill (Maroulosalata) and fresh seasonal fruit for dessert to complete the meal.

_{Photo © 2006 N. Gaifyllia, licensed to About.com}