Pasticcio

Layers of tubular pasta bound with cheese, a cinnamon-scented meat sauce, and a thick béchamel that browns in the oven. The top should be deep golden brown and the slices firm.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 60 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 997
• Protein: 56 g
• Carbs: 86 g
• Fat: 46 g

Ingredients

• 333.3 g Bucatini ( whole )
• 400 g Ground beef 15% fat ( fresh )
• 1.3 piece Yellow onion ( finely chopped )
• 1.3 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 2 tbsp Tomato caviar ( concentrated )
• 66.7 ml Red wine ( dry )
• 0.7 tsp Cinnamon powder ( ground )
• 53.3 g Minimum butter sweet ( for the roux )
• 53.3 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 533.3 ml Whole milk ( at room temperature )
• 2 piece Egg ( yolks and whites separated )
• 66.7 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 0.7 pinch Nutmeg ( grated )
• 66.7 g Kefalotyri ( grated )

Instructions

1. Cooking the pasta

   Plunge the bucatini into boiling salted water. Remove them 2 minutes before the indicated time: they must remain very firm as they will cook further in the oven. Drain and set aside.

2. Preparing the meat sauce

   Brown the ground beef in oil until well colored. Add the minced onion and garlic. Deglaze with red wine, let it reduce by half, then add the tomato paste and cinnamon. Simmer until the sauce is thick and no longer releases water.

3. Making the béchamel

   Make a roux with the butter and flour. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking. The sauce should be much thicker than a classic béchamel: it should heavily coat the spoon. Off the heat, stir in the egg yolks and nutmeg.

4. Assembling the dish

   Mix the pasta with the lightly beaten egg whites, some of the parmesan, and some of the kefalotyri. Line the bottom of a dish. Spread the meat sauce over it, then cover with the thick béchamel. Smooth the surface well.

5. Baking

   Sprinkle the remaining parmesan and kefalotyri. Bake at 180°C. It's ready when the crust is golden brown and the béchamel has set. Let it rest for 15 minutes before cutting to get clean slices.

Chef's tips

• Never rinse your pasta; the starch helps bind the dish together.
• The meat sauce should be almost dry before assembly to prevent the dish from collapsing.
• You must let the dish rest after baking, otherwise the béchamel will run when sliced.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Reheats very well in the oven at a low temperature.