Pastitsio

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 8 oz pastitsio pasta
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 14½ oz canned crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup red wine (optional)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ stick butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 egg yolks
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain excess fat.
3. Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the beef; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, red wine (if using), cinnamon stick, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes, or until sauce has thickened. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth and thickened into a béchamel sauce. Remove from heat, stir in egg yolks, nutmeg, and half of the Parmesan cheese.
5. Combine the cooked pasta with 1/4 cup of the béchamel sauce and spread evenly in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with the seasoned ground beef mixture.
6. Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the beef layer, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
8. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.