We love traditional pastitsio! But here we’ve decided to “wrap” it in fillo pastry and bake it in a bundt cake baking tin! Yummy and smart…

Serves: 5-6 Preparation time: 30′ Cooks in: 60′ Ready in: 1:30h

Ingredients

6 sheets of filo pastry
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil

For the filling

250 gr tubetti pasta
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
250 gr smoked ham,  in cubes
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup canned tomato juice
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup graviera cheese, grated
salt, freshly ground black pepper

Μethod

Step 1
Bring a medium pot with water and salt to a boil. Cook tubetti pasta al dente, 2-3 mins less than instructed time on package. Drain. Keep the pasta water. Transfer pasta in a large bowl.

Step 2
In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large, shallow pan over medium heat and fry onion for 2 minutes, until golden. Season with salt. Add garlic, smoked ham and tomato juice. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add cinnamon and flour to thicken the sauce. Pour in two cups of pasta water. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth and saucy, for 5-7 minutes.

Step 3
Add sauce to pasta, then egg, graviera cheese, season with salt and pepper and combine well.

Step 4
Oil a non-stick round fluted bundt cake baking tin and line it with thee oiled sheets of filo pastry. Spread the  filling. Carefully cover with the other three oiled leaves of filo pastry.

Step 5
Oil the surface of the cake. Bake in preheated oven in 180C for 40-45 mins or until nicely golden brown. Allow cake-shaped pastitsio to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before turning it onto a serving plate.

Tip
Instead of smoked ham, use roasted turkey or chicken.