Greek · main
Pastitsio
Pastitsio reads richness 6.3, umami 6.1 and allium 4.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 1 hr 40 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 6.6 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 3.4 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 3.5 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 6.7 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Richness 6.3 · Umami 6.1 · Allium 4.0 · Sourness 3.2 · Salinity 3.2 · Fruity 2.7 · Sweetness 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.2 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.5 · Bitterness 1.1 · Nutty 1.1 · Earthy 1.1 · Citrus 1.0 · Floral 1.0
What's in it (13)
- 12 oz tubular pasta (bucatini
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup kefalotiri cheese, grated
Time & effort: about 1 hr 40 min (1 hr active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 237.5 kcal, 18.2 g protein, 5.7 g fat, 28.1 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Cook pasta and toss with egg and grated cheese.
- Layer pasta, then spiced meat sauce, then pasta again in a baking dish.
- Top with thick bechamel, dust with cheese, and bake until a golden crust forms.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Moussaka — Greek
- Pastitsio (Greek Baked Pasta with Spiced Beef and Bechamel) — Greek
- Sunday Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes — American
- Classic Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots — American
- Albóndigas en Salsa — Spanish
Keep reading: what richness, umami, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →
Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.