Name: Lamb Pastitsio
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1 Onion, finely chopped; 1 tsp Dried oregano; 40 g Butter; 2 cloves Garlic, minced; 500 g Lamb mince; 400 ml Tomato Passata; 100 g Cheddar, grated; 300 g Penne; to taste Black Pepper; to taste Salt; 500 ml Milk, warm; 40 g Plain Flour; a pinch Nutmeg; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 tbsp Tomato purée

Method

20 mins prep40 mins cook60 mins total

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and soften the onion for 4–5 minutes.
Add the garlic and lamb mince, then cook until browned, breaking up any lumps.
Stir in the passata, tomato purée, cinnamon and oregano, then season with salt and pepper.
Simmer the ragù for 15–20 minutes until thick and rich.
Meanwhile, cook the penne in salted water until just tender, then drain.
For the béchamel, melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour, then gradually whisk in warm milk until smooth and thickened.
Season the béchamel with nutmeg, salt and pepper, then stir in half of the grated cheddar.
Layer the penne and lamb ragù in an oven dish, spoon over the béchamel, scatter the remaining cheddar and bake at 200°C for 20–25 minutes until golden.