Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

Heat ½ the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 20-22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well browned.

Make a well in the center of the browned beef. Add the chopped onion and sweat until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and stir to combine.

Deglaze the pan with the dry red wine. Add the bay leaf, dried oregano, plum tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and allspice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Add a little water if the sauce is too thick. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Set aside ½ cup of the meat sauce for tossing with the pasta.

Cook the pastitsio pasta or bucatini in a large pot of rolling boiling salted water for about 7-8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta well.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the reserved ½ cup of meat sauce. Drizzle with the remaining ½ olive oil. Let the pasta cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 egg whites until frothy. Add the whisked egg whites and ½ cup of the grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese to the pasta mixture and toss to combine.

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly to combine, cooking for 1-2 minutes until smooth and lightly golden.

Remove the pot from the heat. Gradually add the cold milk in very small batches, whisking vigorously after each addition until completely smooth. Return the pot to medium heat.

Whisk the béchamel mixture constantly over medium heat until it comes to a boil and thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with sea salt, black pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg to taste.

Remove the béchamel from the heat. Stir in the remaining ½ cup of grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese. In a small bowl, lightly beat the 2 egg yolks. Gradually whisk a ladleful of the hot béchamel into the egg yolks to temper them, then gradually whisk the tempered yolk mixture back into the béchamel sauce, stirring briskly to prevent curdling.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 13x9x3-inch deep baking dish.

Pour the prepared pasta mixture into the oiled baking dish and spread it evenly.

Ladle the remaining meat sauce (from the main sauce pot, not the reserved portion) over the pasta layer, creating an even top layer.

Pour the prepared béchamel sauce evenly over the meat sauce layer, ensuring it covers the entire surface.

Bake in the preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and set. If the top begins to brown too quickly, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) for the last half of the baking time.

Remove the pastitsio from the oven and let it stand for 45-60 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set properly.