
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound lean ground lamb or pork
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the béchamel:
- 1 1/2 cups milk, heated
- 1 cup heavy cream, heated
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan, divided
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 3/4 pound ziti
PREPARATION
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F.
- First, make the sauce:
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add beef and lamb and cook until no longer pink.
- Drain any excess fat and add the wine, scraping up any bits stuck to pan. Cook for 2 minutes, then add garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Pour in warmed milk and cream and continue whisking. Cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth and thick, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomato and meat sauce, remove from heat, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggs and yogurt. Set aside.
- While you make the bechamel, cook the ziti in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente. (The pasta will cook more in the oven, so be sure not to overcook it.) Drain and set aside.
- Stir the pasta into the meat and tomato sauce and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spread bechamel evenly over the top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!