Greek Pastitsio (Baked Pasta with Meat and Béchamel)

Ingredients

For the pasta:

2 eggs (beaten)

500g macaroni or tubular pasta

100g grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp butter

500g ground beef or lamb

For the meat sauce:

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

400g canned diced tomatoes

1 tsp cinnamon (optional, for a traditional touch)

2 tbsp tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

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Olive oil for cooking

For the béchamel sauce:

100g butter

100g flour

1L milk (warm)

100g grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

Nutmeg (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

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Cook the pasta:
Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and mix with butter, beaten eggs, and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

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Prepare the meat sauce:
In a pan, heat some olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until softened.

Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

Add the ground meat and cook until browned.

Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Set aside.

Make the béchamel sauce:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the flour and whisk continuously to create a roux (about 2 minutes).

Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

Cook until the sauce thickens, then remove from heat.

Stir in the beaten eggs, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

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Assemble the pastitsio:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Grease a baking dish and spread half of the pasta mixture on the bottom.

Add the meat sauce on top of the pasta, spreading evenly.

Add the remaining pasta on top of the meat sauce.

Pour the béchamel sauce over the top layer of pasta, spreading it out evenly.

Bake:
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling.

Let it cool slightly before cutting into portions.

Enjoy!