Pastizio

Ingredients for 10 servings:

• 1 kg minced beef
• 250 g onion(s)
• 5 large garlic cloves
• 125 ml extra virgin olive oil, cold-pressed
• 1 bunch thyme, fresh
• 3 pinches of cinnamon powder
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 2 cans tomatoes, chopped
• ½ tube(s) tomato paste
• 1 tbsp oregano, dried
• 500 g macaroni, long
• 200 ml white wine
• 1 liter of milk
• 125 g margarine
• 300 g cheese, grated
• 5 tbsp Flour, smooth
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 150 g cheese, grated
• 300 g Parmesan, freshly grated
• 300 g grated cheese as a layer

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

original Greek

First, cook the macaroni until it’s very al dente, just barely pliable. Meanwhile, chop the onions very finely and fry them in olive oil until lightly browned. Add the crushed garlic and fry until nicely browned. Don’t worry, the garlic won’t taste bitter when it’s dark; it’s aromatic and doesn’t have that pungent garlic smell. Then add the minced meat and fry it vigorously. In the meantime, the macaroni should be done. Drain and lightly oil it so it’s easier to serve. In a baking dish (approx. 37 x 25 cm; no greasing is necessary), arrange the macaroni in two layers, one at a time. Sprinkle each layer with half of the cheese. Sprinkle the minced meat with plenty of fresh, torn thyme leaves. Add the pepper, salt, cinnamon, oregano, and tomato paste, mix everything well, and fry until very hot. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until the white wine has evaporated. Add the canned tomatoes and simmer uncovered over low heat for about 30 minutes to allow the liquid to evaporate and the meat sauce to thicken. Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce. Melt the margarine, sprinkle in the flour, fry until golden brown, and then gradually add the milk, stirring vigorously. To avoid lumps, add only a little milk at a time and stir vigorously. Then add the cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring vigorously, until the mixture thickens. You can also add nutmeg. By now, the meat sauce should be ready. Pour the meat sauce into the baking dish on top of the macaroni and spread it evenly. Then, layer the remaining macaroni one at a time on top of the meat mixture, again in two layers. Using a lasagna scoop or similar, press firmly all over the macaroni to ensure the juices and oil from the meat are distributed throughout the macaroni. Then add the second portion of cheese, followed by the béchamel sauce. Spread evenly, sprinkle with the cheese and Parmesan, and bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) until the casserole is a nice brown. This takes about 40 minutes.