Pastitsio

Ingredients

• 350 g macaroni
• 500 g ground beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400 g canned tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1½ dl red wine
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• 90 g butter
• 90 g wheat flour
• 9 dl milk
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 egg
• 120 g Parmesan, finely grated
• salt to taste

Method

1. 1.

   Brown the beef in batches — Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over high heat and brown the beef in two batches, breaking it up but letting it sit long enough to catch and colour. Crowding the pan here will steam the meat and cost the ragù its depth.

2. 2.

   Deglaze with red wine — Return all the meat to the pan, add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon and allspice and fry for a minute, then pour in the red wine and let it bubble away until the pan is almost dry.

3. 3.

   Simmer the ragù — Add the canned tomatoes and a good pinch of salt, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. The ragù is ready when a spoon drawn through it leaves a clear track and a slick of red oil rises at the edges.

4. 4.

   Cook the macaroni al dente — Boil the macaroni in well-salted water for two minutes less than the packet says, so it is still firm at the core. Drain, spread out to stop the cooking, and once it is only warm stir through one beaten egg and a third of the Parmesan.

5. 5.

   Make the béchamel — For the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook the roux for two minutes without letting it colour. Add the milk in three additions, whisking smooth each time, and simmer for 5 minutes until it thickly coats the back of a spoon.

6. 6.

   Enrich with egg and cheese — Take the béchamel off the heat, season with salt and the nutmeg, and beat in half the remaining Parmesan. Let it cool for five minutes, then whisk in the second egg so it enriches the sauce rather than scrambling in it.

7. 7.

   Layer the dish — Butter a deep dish of about 30 x 20 cm. Press the pasta in as an even layer, spread the ragù over it right to the corners, then pour the béchamel on top and level it with a spatula. Dust with the last of the Parmesan.

8. 8.

   Bake and rest before cutting — Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes, until the top is deep golden and blistered and the centre no longer wobbles when you nudge the dish. Rest for at least 25 minutes before cutting, or the layers will slide apart on the plate.