Pastistio - smaller serving size

By zircon50

Ingredients

• FOR THE BECHAMEL SAUCE:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef (or ground lamb, or a mixture of both)
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato puree or sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tbsp. breadcrumbs
• 1/2 lb. Elbow Macaroni
• 2 egg whites (reserve the yolks for bechamel sauce)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 sticks)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 quart milk, warmed
• 4 egg yolks, beaten lightly
• a pinch of ground nutmeg

Preparation

Step 1

This recipe will yield about 12 servings depending upon the size of your pieces.

Begin with the Meat Filling:

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until pink color disappears, about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until they are translucent, about 5 minutes more.

Add wine, tomato sauce, parsley, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and allow sauce to simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. While sauce is simmering put water on to boil for pasta.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well. Rinse noodles in colander under cold water to cool them slightly.

Stir in breadcrumbs to meat sauce to absorb excess liquid and remove from heat.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in pasta pot and return cooked pasta to the pot. Stir in beaten egg whites and 1/2 cup of grated cheese and toss lightly, being careful not to break the pasta.

Brush the bottom and sides of lasagna baking dish with olive oil. Mix pasta with the meat filling, and pour into the lasagna baking dish. Press pasta down into the baking dish as best you can.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees while you prepare the bechamel sauce.

BECHAMEL SAUCE:

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. Using a whisk, add flour to melted butter whisking continuously to make a smooth paste or roux. Allow the flour/butter mixture to cook for a minute but do not allow it to brown.

Add warmed milk to mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously. Simmer over low heat until it thickens but does not boil.

Remove from heat and stir in beaten egg yolks. Add pinch of nutmeg. If sauce still needs to thicken, return to heat and cook over very low heat while continuing to stir.

Bechamel is thicker than gravy but not quite as thick as pudding. It should be somewhere in between. One way to tell if it is thick enough is to dip your wooden spoon in the sauce and draw your finger across the back of the spoon. If the sauce holds a visible line then it is thick enough.

Pour the bechamel over the pasta making sure to pour sauce down in to the corners as well. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the top is a nice golden color.