Pastitsio — Everyday Gourmet

Ingredients

• 1kg minced beef
• 1 can of tomatoes, peeled and pureed
• 2 onions, grated
• 500g thick tube-shaped pasta (such as macaroni or penne)
• 200g feta
• 2 cups (100g kefalograviera or other semi-hard cheese (such as kefalotiri), or one of each, grated
• 4 tbsp butter, melted, plus extra for brushing
• 2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 150ml of olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 cups (1L) of béchamel sauce (see recipe below)
• 1 cup of water
• A pinch of nutmeg, grated
• A pinch of cinnamon, ground (optional)
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 100g plain flour
• 100g butter
• 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1L full cream milk
• 1 bay leaf
• A pinch of nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper