A beloved meal from the Greek island of Corfu, Pastitsada is a complex blend of ethnic richness. Italian immigration to the Greek Islands during the Venetian era, which lasted from 1386 to 1797, is most likely where the dish got its start. The slow-cooked rooster or beef and the inclusion of flavorful spices like cloves and cinnamon demonstrate Venetian and wider Mediterranean influences. As middle-class families proliferated in Corfu, Pastitsada swiftly permeated every household as it merged with the local cuisines. Today it remains one of the most famous Corfiot dishes and a Sunday regular.
