Pastitsio

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 8 ounces ziti pasta, cooked and drained
• 3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine
• 2 (3 ounce) packages shredded parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 lbs ground round
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 large eggs

Recipe

• 1 toss pasta with 3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese; set aside.
• 2 in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground round, onion, and garlic; stirring to crumble meat; cook until meat is no longer pink; drain.
• 3 stir in tomato sauce, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, cinnamon, and pepper.
• 4 in a heavy saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over low heat.
• 5 whisk in flour.
• 6 cook and whisk constantly for 1 minute.
• 7 whisk in milk; cook and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
• 8 stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; remove from heat.
• 9 in a separate bowl, whisk eggs until thick and pale.
• 10 whisk about 1/4 milk mixture into eggs; add to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly.
• 11 to assemble: spoon pasta mixture into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish.
• 12 spoon beef mixture over pasta.
• 13 sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.
• 14 top with cream sauce.
• 15 bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until golden.