What is the proper topping for a pastitsio?

The proper topping for a traditional Greek pastitsio is béchamel sauce. This thick white sauce forms the dish’s creamy upper layer over tubular pasta and a spiced minced-meat filling, then browns in the oven into a golden crust.

Béchamel is made by combining a butter-and-flour roux with milk, usually seasoning it with salt, pepper and nutmeg. In Greek cooking, the sauce may be enriched with eggs or cheese so it sets firmly when baked. The result gives pastitsio its characteristic contrast: structured pasta, savory meat sauce and a rich, custard-like top.

Pastitsio’s name comes from the Italian pasticcio, a family of baked savory dishes documented as early as the 16th century. The modern Greek version was popularized by chef Nikolaos Tselementes in the early 20th century, when French culinary techniques became influential in Greece. Some regional or modern recipes use a Mornay-style cheese sauce, but béchamel is the canonical answer. It is also the defining white sauce in Greek moussaka.