Pastitsio - Cypriot Baked Pasta

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 750 g beef, ground
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 sticks celery, diced
• 30 ml olive oil
• 130 ml red wine
• 450 ml tomatoes, passata
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 400 g pastitsio pasta
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 cup kefalotiri, grated
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 quart milk, warmed
• 8 egg yolks, beaten lightly
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in a pan and saute the onion and celery for about 10mins.
• 2 add the meat and brown for 5 minutes add the wine and cook a further 5 minutes.
• 3 add the tomato passata, cinnamon and season. cook a further 30mins. set aside.
• 4 preheat the oven to 180°c.
• 5 cook the pasta in large pan of salted water. drain and run under cold water.
• 6 butter a deep baking dish and layer the pasta and then pour over the meat. place in refrigerator.
• 7 make the bechamel sauce by gently heating the milk . remove from heat. in a pan melt the butter and add the flour and cook until slightly golden.
• 8 slowly add the milk into the butter/flour mix. do this off the heat and use a whisk to make a smooth sauce. cook over a low heat until thickened. cool slightly. beat in eggs and add the nutmeg.
• 9 pour this over the meat and sprinkle with kefalotiri cheese.
• 10 bake for 45 minutes.