Pastitsio (Greek Pasta Bake)
Serves 8 - 10
For the meat sauce
2 pounds ground lamb (or ground beef)
1 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped with their liquid
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the bechamel
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, scalded
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan (or Kefalotyri if you can find it)
3 egg yolks
Freshly ground nutmeg
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pasta
1 pound pasta, such as ziti or penne
3 tablespoons good quality olive oil
3 egg whites (from yolks used in bechamel)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (or Kefalotyri if you can find it)
Preheat oven to 375°.
To make the meat sauce, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or braiser over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ground lamb and cook until crumbly and browned all the way through. (I drained off a bit of the fat once this was done.) Increase heat to high, pour in the red wine, and allow to simmer until the red wine has cooked out. Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon, and allspice. Add the tomatoes with their juices, reduce heat, and simmer the sauce for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally.
To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about one minute. Add the scalded milk and continue to cook until the sauce is thick and coats the back of the spoon, about 5 - 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan and egg yolks. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
To make the pasta, cook the noodles until just barely al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil. Fold in the egg whites and Parmesan until well mixed.
In a casserole dish with tall sides, layer half of the noodle mixture in the bottom of the dish, covering the bottom completely. Spread the entire amount of meat sauce over the noodle layer. Spread remaining noodles over the meat sauce. Pour a thick layer of bechamel on top of the noodles, to the top of the casserole dish (there may be a little leftover).
Bake the casserole until the top is puffy and golden brown, about 45 minutes. This is best served the day after it is cooked, just reheat in a 325° oven until warmed through. If eating the day of, let it rest for at least 30 minutes before serving (this will make cleaner slices.).