Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce)

This is a quick and easy recipe for a night when you're short on time to cook a meal. In the Middle East, we have a similar recipe, but the seasonings are different and the meat is mixed with the pasta and then baked. Whereas with Pastitsio, you layer the meat and pasta like you would with lasagna. You can find Bechamel sauce ready-made powder and you just mix it with milk. Or you can use the ingredients below to make the sauce from scratch. Either way, it will come out fabulous - just make it with love! Opa!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cups small penne pasta (or any pasta you like)
• 3 tbsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
  
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  

Sauce ingredients:

• 5 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven on Bake at 375 F.
   
2. Prepare the bechamel sauce and set aside.
   
3. Prepare the pasta per instructions on package. Set aside.
4. Heat up the vegetable oil and brown the ground beef. When it is halfway cooked, add the salt, white pepper, tomato paste, oregano and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly until beef is cooked completely.
5. Grease a pyrex and pour the meat mixture, spreading it evenly.
6. Cover the meat with the pasta, spreading evenly as well.
7. Pour bechamel sauce over the pasta.
8. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if you have it.
9. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes and let cool for a few minutes before serving.