Pastitsio
'Greek Lasagna'
Submitted By: Taz

Ingredients:

Meat Sauce:
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Medium Red Onions - finely chopped
3 cloves Fresh Garlic - minced
2 lbs Lean (90/10) Ground Beef
1 Tbs Tomato Paste
¾ Cup Red Wine - use Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir
14.5 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
1 tsp Granulated Sugar
1 Bay Leaf
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Whole Clove
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste

Béchamel Sauce:
1 Stick (8 Tbs / 4 oz) Unsalted Butter
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
4 Cups Whole Milk - room temperature
2 Egg Yolks
⅛ tsp Fresh Ground Nutmeg
4 oz. Kefalotyri Cheese* - crumbled

Base:
1 lb Dried Bucatini Pasta - can substitute penne or ziti if desired
6 oz. Feta Cheese
2 Egg Whites

Preparation:

Start by making the meat sauce:
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering
  2. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until softened (apx 3 minutes) - Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 1 minute
  3. Add the ground beef and allow to brown for 4-5 minutes breaking it up while it cooks - Add the tomato paste and thoroughly combine - Continue to cook for 1 minute
  4. Add the wine and allow to cook until all of the wine is absorbed/evaporated
  5. Add the canned tomatoes, sugar, cinnamon stick, clove, and salt and pepper to taste
  6. Bring to a boil - Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and allow to cook (stirring occasionally) for at least 1 hour until most of the liquid has evaporated (you can simmer this for up to 3 hours for deeper flavor) - Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and clove - Set aside until needed
Make the Béchamel Sauce:
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat
  2. Once the butter is melted, while constantly whisking, slowly add the flour 1 Tbs at a time until fully incorporated and a thick paste is formed
  3. While still continuously whisking, slowly add the milk a bit at a time until a smooth, thick sauce is achieved
  4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg and grated cheese until fully incorporated - Whisk in the egg yolks - Season with salt and pepper to taste - Set aside until needed
Make the 'Base'
  1. Cook your pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions indicate (apx 4-7 minutes depending on pasta type) - Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl
  2. Stir in the crumbled cheese until mostly combined and then add the egg whites - Thoroughly combine - Set aside until needed
Assemble and Bake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Butter the bottom and sides of a 13"x9" in baking dish - Place the pasta base in the bottom of the baking dish and 'smooth' to a single layer - Layer the meat sauce on top and 'smooth' into an even layer - Layer the béchamel sauce on top of the meat sauce and 'smooth' - Sprinkle with a bit of additional grated cheese
  3. Place in the top third of the oven until the top is lightly golden brown (apx 40 minutes)
  4. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes (20-30 minutes is best) before serving
* Kefalotyri is a traditional Greek-Cypriot hard, dry, light yellow cheese that is made using sheep
   and/or goats milk and has a wonderfully sharp, salty, slightly nutty flavor. Kefalotyri may be difficult
   to find where you live so, if you cannot find it, then Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano,
   Pecorino Toscano, Asiago, or Aged Gruyère (in that order of preference) would all work as
   substitutes