Name: Pastitsio
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1.5 pounds lean ground beef; 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes; 0.5 cup dry red wine; 0.5 cup vegetable broth; 0.25 cup tomato paste; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 whole clove; salt and pepper to taste; 1 pound dry ziti pasta; 4 tablespoons butter; 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 dash ground nutmeg; salt and pepper to taste; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 3 large eggs, lightly beaten; 0.5 cup butter; 0.5 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups milk; 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 1 egg yolk

1 Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

2 Make the meat sauce: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir gently until onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase heat and add ground beef; cook and stir until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine, broth, tomato paste, parsley, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and clove. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

3 Meanwhile prepare the pasta: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

4 Pour melted butter, 1/4 cup grated cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper over pasta; toss well and cool briefly. Add 2 eggs and toss again; set aside.

5 Make the béchamel: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cool slightly before stirring in 1 cup grated cheese, beaten egg, and egg yolk. Then stir 1/2 cup of béchamel sauce into meat sauce.

6 To assemble pastitsio: Arrange pasta in the bottom of the prepared baking dish so that all of the noodles are nicely lined up and are as level as possible for a great visual effect when serving. Spoon meat sauce over pasta; top with remaining béchamel sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese on top.

7 Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and golden brown on top, about 50 minutes.

8 Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.