Pasticho (Pasticho Venezolano) is the Venezuelan version of lasagna or the Greek Pastitsio. This comforting dish layers pasta with a creamy bechamel sauce, and tomato meat sauce seasoned with soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. I used a ground beef filling, but ham is one of the most common additions.
This is best made in a deep 9×13 inch baking dish. For the photos, I divided the ingredients between an 8×8 inch and a smaller baking dish. I cut the noodles to fit the pan. My first layers of pasta only included 3 noodles, but I would layer with 4-5 in the future. I had a few leftover and would have liked a bit more pasta in the dish.
Once out of the oven, let the Pasticho rest for a few minutes to settle before slicing and serving. This will keep you from completely burning the roof of your mouth from all of the bubbly cheese and will keep the lasagna from completely falling apart. I waited 10 minutes and the layers still slid a little.
Pasticho (Venezuelan Lasagna) Recipe
Adapted from About.com
Pasticho (Venezuelan Lasagna)
Ingredients
Meat Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can (28 ounce) whole, peeled tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup red wine or beef stock
Bechamel Sauce:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 4 1/2 cups milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For assembling:
- 1 pound dried lasagna noodles
- 10 ounces Mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, drizzle olive oil over medium low heat. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften and become translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Crumble in the beef, breaking apart the pieces with a spoon. Mix in the soy sauce and worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Mix in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, bay leaf, sugar, and red wine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, 30-45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove the bay leaf.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook until almost al dente, nearly tender. They will cook further in the oven. Drain.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Once melted, whisk in flour until golden and bubbling. Increase heat to medium. Slowly whisk in milk and continue to stir until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and parmesan. Remove from heat once smooth.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with a thin layer of the bechamel sauce. Top with a layer of the lasagna noodles. Spread with a layer of 1/3rd of the meat sauce. Cover with a second layer of pasta. Spread about 1 cup of the bechamel sauce over the pasta, top with 1/3rd of the Mozzarella cheese, and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Cover with another 1/3rd of the meat sauce, then 1 cup of the bechamel sauce, 1/3rd of the Mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons of parmesan. Add remaining meat sauce and final layer of pasta. Cover with remaining bechamel sauce, then remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until cheese is bubbly and beginning to turn golden, 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Renata
The most common pasticho made in Venezuela (available in restaurants, specially in the western side of the country) is a lasagna with ham in it. I’ve seen this made by my mother in law and she also does a weird “bolognese” with soy sauce and stuff like that.
Those made with plantains or eggplants aren’t really called “pasticho” anymore, as originally it’s the beef (or chicken) preparation with ham.
Tara
Thanks so much for the info Renata! The addition of soy sauce definitely stood out to me. I can’t wait to make this again with ham.
Shakira
Those with plantains are made with fish, and called “pastel de chucho”
Kata
Gracias chica! Will make it tonight. Was my fav dish in Caracas (and the world) 🙂 abrazos
Jennifer
I have been using this recipe to make pasticho for my Venezuelan husband for about three years but am just commenting! I always come back to this one. The meat sauce is the best! For some reason he insists on having peas and sliced ham in his pasticho though. Thank you 🙂
Tara
So glad to hear Jennifer! I will definitely have to remake it soon with ham.
Sabine
Hey Tara,
Your pasticho looks very good! However, this particular dish does not originate from Italy, Spain or Portugal the origin is Greece. I know this because it’s a staple in Greek households and I make it quite often :). We call it by basically the same name (pastitsio) and the components such as the béchamel sauce and meat are filling virtually the same.
-Sabine
Tara
Hi Sabine! Thank you for letting me know! I definitely need to make this Pasticho soon and update the post/photos. For now, I have fixed the wording 🙂