Pastitsio – Greek Lasagna

Ingredients

14 ounces uncooked penne pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ cup Parmesan cheese divided
1 ½ pound lean ground beef
1 cup onion diced
4 tablespoons tomato paste
kosher salt
½ cup ground cinnamon
freshly ground pepper
for the sauce
½ cup butter cubed
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk whole milk or 2%
2 eggs beaten
white pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, but under cook by 2 minutes to keep it very al dente.

Drain the pasta and toss with 2 tablespoons of butter and ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Spread the pasta evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, pressing down lightly.

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onion over medium heat, breaking up the beef until fully cooked and the onions are soft, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of salt, ground pepper, and cinnamon.

Spread the beef mixture evenly over the pasta, pressing it down gently. Sprinkle with ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
Heat the milk in the microwave until hot but not boiling.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute over medium heat.

Gradually whisk in half of the hot milk, creating a thick, smooth paste. Continue whisking as you add the remaining milk to avoid lumps.

Cook the béchamel sauce over medium heat until thickened and starting to bubble.

Season the sauce with salt and white pepper, then remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and slowly add about ½ cup of the hot béchamel sauce to temper the eggs.

Stir the tempered eggs back into the remaining béchamel sauce, whisking well.

Pour the sauce over the meat layer and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.

Cover the dish and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Then, uncover and continue baking for another 40 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling.