Pastitsio (Greek Pasta Bake)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves (, finely minced)
• 2 red onions (, finely chopped (sub yellow or brown onions))
• 1 kg / 2 lb beef mince (ground beef)
• 3/4 cup red wine (, dry (Note 1))
• 800g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
• 2 beef bouillon cubes (, crumbled (stock cubes))
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 cinnamon stick ((or extra 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder))
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 100g / 7 tbsp butter (, unsalted)
• 3/4 cup flour (, plain/all purpose)
• 1 litre / 4 cups milk (, whole/full fat best but low fat ok)
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg (, preferably freshly grated)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100g / 3 oz Kefalotyri Greek cheese (sub Parmesan or Romano) (, finely shredded (Note 2))
• 2 egg yolks ((egg whites are used in the pasta))
• 400g / 14 oz Pastitsio No. 2 pasta / Greek bucatini ((sub small ziti, penne or normal bucatini, Note 3))
• 120g / 4 oz feta (, crumbled)
• 2 egg whites ((yolks used in Béchamel))
• 75g / 3 oz Kefalotyri Greek cheese (sub parmesan or Romano) (, finely grated (Note 2))
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Instructions:

1. Heat in a large pot over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 - 3 minutes until onion is softened. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from red to brown.
2. Add wine and and cook until the wine has mostly evaporated - about 3 minutes.
3. Add remaining Meat Sauce ingredients. Stir well, bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium / medium low so it's simmering gently. Cook for 45 min to 1 hour until liquid is mostly gone, stirring every now and then. It should be a thick mixture with little liquid, not saucy like Spaghetti Bolognese (Note 4).
4. Remove from stove and cool. Preferably to room temperature, otherwise for at least 30 minutes before assembling (lid off).
5. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir for 1 minute.
6. While stirring, slowly pour half the milk in. It should turn into a wet paste. Then again, while stirring, pour in remaining milk - the paste should easily dissolve so it's lump-free. If not, just whisk vigorously.
7. Cook, stirring so the base doesn't catch, for 5 minutes or until thick enough so it coats the back of a wooden spoon thickly and you can draw a path across it with your finger.
8. Remove from stove. Stir in nutmeg, cheese and salt.
9. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Then whisk in egg yolks quickly. Place lid on and set aside. If sauce cools and gets too thick to pour, just reheat on a low stove until pourable.
10. When you're ready to assemble, cook the pasta per packet instructions, minus 1 minute.
11. Drain, then return to the pot. Leave to cool for 3 minutes, then stir through egg whites. Gently stir through crumbled feta.
12. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
13. Place pasta in a baking dish (33 x 22 x 7 cm / 9 x 13 x 2.75"), arranging them so they are all going in the same direction as best you can (for visual effect when sliced). Make the surface as level as you can.
14. Top with Meat Sauce, then smooth the surface.
15. Pour over Béchamel Sauce, then sprinkle over the cheese.
16. Bake 30 min or until crust turns golden.
17. Cool for at least 10 minutes so you can cut neat slices with the layers neatly visible. Serve!