Pastitsio -- Madness Kingdom

Method

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package says, so it stays firm. Drain, toss with a drizzle of oil, and set aside.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.

Step 3

Add the ground beef, breaking it apart, and cook 8 minutes until browned with no pink remaining.

Step 4

Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, cinnamon, allspice, 1 tsp salt, and the pepper. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes until thick with little liquid left. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.

Step 5

Make the bechamel: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook 2 minutes while whisking, keeping it pale.

Step 6

Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, whisking, until thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat.

Step 7

Let the bechamel cool 3 minutes, then whisk in the beaten eggs quickly so they do not scramble, plus 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1/2 tsp salt.

Step 8

Stir 1 cup of the bechamel and 1/2 cup of cheese into the drained pasta so it holds together. This layer stays firm when sliced.

Step 9

Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the pasta evenly across the bottom and press it down gently into a level layer.

Step 10

Spoon the meat sauce over the pasta and spread it smooth, then pour the remaining bechamel over the top, smoothing to the edges.

Step 11

Sprinkle the last 1/2 cup of cheese over the surface. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until the top is set and deeply golden brown.

Step 12

Rest the pastitsio 30 minutes before cutting so the layers firm up and slice cleanly. Serve warm in squares.

Tips from the test kitchen

Undercooking the pasta slightly keeps it from turning mushy during baking.
The 30-minute rest is essential for clean, layered slices.

Pastitsio