My mother used to work so hard in the kitchen to make this classic Greek dish, and the results were always well worth her effort. My recipe for pastitsio is easier, a bit lighter and every bit as great as Mom's.
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
BECHAMEL SAUCE:
½ cup butter, cubed
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 cups 2% milk
2 large eggs, beaten
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss with butter; add grated Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish.
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles; drain. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in tomato sauce, salt and cinnamon; heat through. Spoon over pasta. Sprinkle with ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese.
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Pour over beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes longer or until golden brown.
Recipe by Cooking TV Recipes at https://cookingtv-channel.com/nikkis-perfect-pastitsio/