Pastitsio

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground lamb or beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound pasta tubes (penne or rigatoni)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add ground meat and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add crushed tomatoes, red wine, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes until sauce thickens.
6. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
8. Make béchamel sauce: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour to create a roux and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Gradually add milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
10. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Let cool slightly, then whisk in egg yolks.
11. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread half of the cooked pasta on the bottom.
12. Pour all of the meat sauce over the pasta.
13. Layer remaining pasta on top of the meat sauce.
14. Pour béchamel sauce evenly over the top layer.
15. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
16. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Use a 9x13 inch baking dish for proper layering and even cooking.
• For a vegetarian version, replace ground meat with finely chopped mushrooms and add extra vegetables.
• Make sure the béchamel sauce cools slightly before adding egg yolks to prevent scrambling them.
• The pasta should be slightly undercooked as it will continue cooking in the oven.
• Pastitsio can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated before baking; add 10 minutes to baking time if cooking from cold.
• Let the dish rest for 10 minutes after baking for easier portioning.
• Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated in a 350°F oven.