Stovetop Pastitsio-Inspired Fusilli
with Greek-Style 'Bechamel' Sauce- Milk
- Wheat
Inspired by the classic Greek layered pasta dish, pastitsio, this stovetop version takes a fraction of the time to put together! Our Turkish Spice Blend lends this dish warm notes to give it those Greek flavours we expect from traditional pastitsio!
Ingredients
250 g
Ground Beef
370 mL
Crushed Tomatoes
1 tsp
Garlic Salt
1 unit
Beef Broth Concentrate
1 tbsp
Turkish Spice Blend
56 g
Baby Spinach
¼ cup
Feta Cheese, crumbled
(Contains: Milk)
43 g
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
170 g
Fusilli
(Contains: Wheat)
7 g
Parsley
113 g
Yellow Onion
Not included in your delivery
2 tbsp
Unsalted Butter*
(Contains: Milk)
3 tbsp
Milk*
(Contains: Milk)
½ tbsp
Oil*
0.13 tsp
Salt*
0.13 tsp
Pepper*
½ tsp
Sugar*
Nutrition facts
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Before starting, wash and dry all produce. Add 10 cups water and 2 tsp salt to a large pot (use same for 4 ppl). Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, roughly chop parsley. Peel, then cut onion into 1/4-inch pieces. Add fusilli to the boiling water. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 9-11 min. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water (dbl for 4 ppl), then drain and return fusilli to the same pot, off heat.
Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1/2 tbsp oil (dbl for 4 ppl), then onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened slightly, 1-2 min. Add beef. Cook, breaking up beef into smaller pieces, until no pink remains, 4-5 min.** Carefully drain and discard excess fat. Season with Turkish Spice Blend, garlic salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 30 sec.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add crushed tomatoes, broth concentrate and 1/2 tsp sugar (dbl for 4 ppl) to the pan with beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, 4-6 min.
Meanwhile, add cream cheese, 3 tbsp milk and 3 tbsp feta (dbl both for 4 ppl) to a small pot. Heat over medium. Cook, whisking often, until sauce is mostly smooth and warmed through, 2-3 min. Add 1 tbsp butter (dbl for 4 ppl), then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Whisk until butter melts. Remove the pot from heat.
Add meat sauce to the pot with fusilli. Return the pot to medium-high, then bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add spinach, reserved pasta water, half the parsley and 1 tbsp butter (dbl for 4 ppl). Cook, stirring often, until spinach wilts and sauce thickens slightly, 2-3 min. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Divide fusilli between plates. Spoon 'bechamel' sauce over top, then sprinkle with remaining parsley and remaining feta.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Aug 2026- Flavour: The warm spice blend — featuring cinnamon as a standout note — divides opinion; some find it a delicious and unexpected twist, while others find it overpowering in the finished dish.
- Ease of prep: Most reviewers found the recipe manageable, though several noted the multiple simultaneous steps — particularly making the béchamel while cooking the meat sauce — require close attention.
- Suggestions: Consider using only half the spice blend if you are sensitive to strong flavours, and let the tomato sauce simmer a few minutes longer than instructed for a richer, thicker result. Reduce the fusilli cook time slightly, as it continues to cook in the sauce and can become overdone. To keep saltiness in check, hold back on added salt since the feta and garlic salt already contribute quite a bit.
- Leftovers: Several reviewers noted the dish reheats beautifully, with some saying it tasted even better the next day.
- Béchamel: The cream cheese and feta sauce was a highlight for many, though some found it too thin; whisking it a little longer over heat can help it thicken to a better consistency.
