Ingredients
- For the meat sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 pound ground beef, lamb, pork, or turkey
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Leaves of 3 sprigs fresh marjoram or oregano, coarsely chopped
- Leaves of 3 sprigs fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 1 pound frozen chopped spinach, thawed and as much liquid as possible squeezed out
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- For the sauce and pasta
- Cooking spray
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
- 3 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or 15 scrapes from a whole nutmeg
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan or Kefalotyri cheese (6 ounces), divided
- 6 cups cooked ziti, elbow macaroni, orecchiette, or any small pasta (about 12 ounces dried)
- Chopped tomatoes, fresh marjoram, fresh thyme, or more Parmesan or Kefalotyri cheese, for serving
Preparation
Step 1
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish (2 1/2 to 3 inches deep, 3-quart capacity) with cooking spray; set aside.
Make the meat sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the ground meat, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with a heat-resistant spoon, until cooked through and browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic, marjoram, thyme, and cinnamon, stir to combine, and cook for 15 to 20 seconds. Add the wine and cook until almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach, tomatoes, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and mix to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the sauce: Heat the butter in a separate large saucepan over high heat until it melts and foams. Whisk in the flour and cook until it is medium-blonde in color, about 1 minute. Add the pepper and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 4 cups of the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup milk, lemon zest, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl until fully combined, smooth, and silky. With a ladle, slowly drizzle the white sauce base into the bowl, a few tablespoons at a time, whisking the mixture quickly and vigorously while drizzling in the base. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and stir until it is melted. Add the pasta and mix well, separating any pasta that may be stuck together.
Spread a thick layer of the pasta mixture (about 4 cups) evenly into the baking dish. Cover with the meat sauce, spreading it evenly. Top with the remaining pasta, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top.
Bake until hot, puffed up, and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Garnish with some chopped tomatoes, cheese, and a little oregano or marjoram if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Make ahead: The filling can be made and the pasta cooked and stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 1 day ahead. Reheat the filling before layering into the casserole.
Cheese: Kefalotyri cheese is a hard sheep's milk cheese from Greece with a sharp, salty flavor.
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Per serving, based on 8 servings. (% daily value)
Calories 641 Fat 36.8 g (56.7%) Saturated 18.8 g (94.2%) Trans 1.1 g
Carbs 45.1 g (15%) Fiber 5 g (20.1%) Sugars 13.1 g Protein 32.5 g (65.1%)
Cholesterol 214.8 mg (71.6%) Sodium 1724.7 mg (71.9%)