Pastitsio

Ingredients:

• 500g penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 60g butter
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 dash ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 30g butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 675g lean minced beef
• 4 tablespoons tomato puree
• 125ml dry red wine
• 125ml vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 125g butter
• 70g plain flour
• 750ml milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. 
3. Add penne and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and return to pan.
4. Melt butter until golden brown and pour over penne, add 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, pepper and toss well; allow to cool. 
5. Add eggs and toss again; set aside.
6. To make meat sauce: Gently saute onion and garlic in butter in a frying pan over medium heat until onion is soft. Increase heat and add mince; stir well. 
7. Cook until mince begins to brown. 
8. Add tomato puree, wine, stock, parsley, salt and pepper. 
9. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
10. To make white sauce: Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently for 2 minutes. 
11. Pour in milk all at once and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. 
12. Boil gently for 1 minute. 
13. Add nutmeg, salt, pepper and cool slightly before stirring in beaten egg. 
14. Transfer 125ml of this sauce to the meat sauce.
15. To assemble pastitsio: Grease a 22x33cm baking dish. 
16. Spoon half of the prepared penne evenly in the bottom and top with meat sauce. 
17. Top that with remaining penne. 
18. Pour on white sauce and spread to completely cover penne. 
19. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
20. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown. 
21. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.