Pastitsio In Filo Pastry

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) with the fan on. Butter the baking dish. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. Butter the pasta and mix it with half of the cheese. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium to high heat and sauté the beef mince until it changes color and absorbs any juices. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the tomato, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 30 minutes until the sauce thickens. If necessary, add a little hot water. Stir in the parsley towards the end and set aside.

Béchamel: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir continuously with a whisk until the flour takes on a color. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once the mixture becomes creamy, remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes and then add the beaten egg yolks, all the Kefalotyri cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir vigorously until well combined. Check for seasoning and adjust salt if needed.

In a large round springform pan, layer 6 sheets of Filo pastry for pies, brushing each sheet with butter before layering. Add half of the pasta, then the minced meat, and top with the remaining pasta. Finally, cover with the béchamel sauce and the remaining cheese. Fold the overhanging pastry sheets inward to form a thick border. Cover with the remaining 3 buttered sheets of pastry.

Bake the pastitsio in the preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for about 45-60 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it cool, remove from the pan, and serve.