Beef Pastitsio with Eggplant

Meat Sauce:

• 4 cups chopped onion
  
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  
• 2lb lean ground beef
  
• 2 tsp oregano
  
• 1.5 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp pepper
  
• 1 cup beef broth
  
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
  
• 6 tbsp. tomato paste
  
• 1.5 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp. allspice
  
• .5 tsp nutmeg
  
• .25 tsp cloves
  
• 3 beaten eggs

Bechamel Sauce:

• 4 egg yolks
  
• 4 cups milk
  
• 1 stick butter
  
• .5 cup flour
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• .5 tsp. pepper
  
• pinch nutmeg
  
• pinch allspice
  
• 1 1/2 cups fresh-grated parmesan cheese

Other:

• 1.5 lb. Small hollow pasta
  
• 3.5 cups fresh-grated parmesan cheese
  
• 2 eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/3"

Sauce:

1. Cook onions & garlic in heavy pot.
   
2. Add beef, cook until brown.
   
3. Add oregano, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth.
   
4. Reduce heat and cover for ~20 minutes.
   
5. Mix in cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves, simmer 1m.
   
6. Cool to room temperature, then mix in beaten eggs.

Eggplant/Pasta:

1. Drizzle eggplant with oilive oil and roast in oven until brown.
   
2. Boil and drain the pasta.

Bechamel Sauce:

1. Whisk egg yolks with .5 cup milk in small bowl.
   
2. Melt butter in saucepan.
   
3. Whisk in flour.
   
4. Gradually whisk in the rest of the milk (3.5 cups), bring to simmer.
   
5. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, allspice.
   
6. Reduce heat, whisking often until sauce is thick.
   
7. Whisk in yolk mixture and grated parmesan, whisk a couple of minutes.
   
8. Cool to lukewarm.

Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 375f
   
2. Grease 2 lasagna dishes with olive oil.
   
3. Spread pasta on bottom.
   
4. Add layer of eggplant.
   
5. Add layer of meat sauce.
   
6. Add layer of parmesan cheese.
   
7. Add layer of bechamel sauce.
   
8. Sprinkle each with more parmesan cheese.
   
9. Cover with foil and bake 25m.
   
10. Remove foil and bake another 25m, until golden on top.
    
11. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.