Pastitsio

A rich dish of ground lamb and pasta seasoned with Greek flavors and covered in a cheese sauce then baked until golden brown.

Ingredients

1 lb ground lamb
3/4 lb macaroni, cooked a little less than al dente
1 medium onion, chopped
1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 t dried basil
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
3 eggs, separated
1/2 pound of cheese shredded, preferably kefalotyri or myzithra, but white cheddar makes a good substitute as those cheeses are hard to find
6+3 T butter
6 T flour
3 C whole milk
dash nutmeg

For the meat:
Saute the onion and garlic in 3 T of butter until translucent, then add in the lamb and brown.  Add in the tomatoes and the cinnamon stick, and simmer for 20-25 minutes.  Remove the cinnamon stick and add in the basil and remove from the heat.  Allow to cool, then add in the egg whites.

For the cheese sauce:
Make a roux with the flour and 6 T butter.  Add in the milk and simmer until thickened, whisking occasionally.  Whisk in the cheese and nutmeg and remove from the heat.  Allow to cool before adding in the egg yolks.  Adjust seasoning as necessary.

Preheat your oven to 350 F.  While that is heating mix together the macaroni and meat mixture, and adjust for seasoning if necessary.  Spread this evenly in the bottom of a baking dish.  Spread the hard boiled egg on this layer.  Spread the cheese sauce evenly over the top of the meat.  Cook in the oven for approximately an hour, finishing under the broiler for a couple of minutes if the top hasn't browned.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.