Pastitsio

Method

1. simmer25 min
   meat sauce thick with no watery pool
   Brown the beef with onion, add garlic, tomato, paste, cinnamon, salt and pepper, then simmer until concentrated. The sauce needs to be drier than ordinary pasta sauce so it holds a distinct middle layer.
2. mix10 min
   pasta lightly bound with egg and cheese
   Cook the pasta just shy of tender, drain, cool briefly, then toss with one beaten egg and half a cup of cheese. The light binding helps the bottom layer slice cleanly instead of spilling loose noodles.
3. mix12 min
   béchamel very thick and smooth
   Cook butter and flour briefly, whisk in milk and cook until thick. Off heat, temper in the remaining eggs and half the remaining cheese. The béchamel should sit on top rather than seep between the pasta tubes.
4. bake40 min
   béchamel deeply golden and center set
   Pack pasta into the pan, spread the meat sauce evenly, add the béchamel and finish with the remaining cheese. Bake until browned and set through.
5. rest25 min
   layers firm enough for square slices
   Rest the casserole before cutting. Pastitsio is deliberately structured; serving it straight from the oven turns the three layers into a loose scoop instead of a clean slice.