Ina Garten’s Pastitsio

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

1. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F.
2. First, make the sauce:
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Add tomatoes, about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!