Egyptian Layered Pasta Dish (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Meat Sauce and Pasta

01 - A generous splash of olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, roughly diced
03 - 10 juicy garlic cloves, finely chopped
04 - 1 pound lean ground beef (90-95%)
05 - A large spoonful of tomato paste
06 - 1 cup tomato passata (or any tomato sauce you love)
07 - A nice sprinkle of kosher salt
08 - 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed with your fingers
09 - Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
10 - A tiny bit of freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/8 teaspoon)
11 - A few dashes of ground allspice
12 - 14 ounces of penne pasta you prefer

→ For the Creamy Bechamel

13 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (around 3/4 stick)
14 - 1 aromatic bay leaf
15 - 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
16 - 3 cups whole milk, warmed if you can
17 - 1 cup half and half
18 - 1 beef bouillon cube, broken up
19 - A hint of freshly grated nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon)
20 - A full 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
21 - 1 and 1/2 cups of melty mozzarella cheese

# Instructions:

01 - Set your oven to 375°F with the rack in the middle. Take your 9x13 baking dish and spray it with cooking oil so nothing sticks.
02 - Cook your pasta about 2 minutes less than what the box says. You want it a bit firm since it'll keep cooking in the oven. Drain it but don't rinse it. The starch helps the sauce stick better.
03 - Heat the olive oil in a big skillet on medium. Throw in your chopped onions with a bit of salt and cook them until they're soft, around 7-9 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute until it smells good. Don't let it turn brown!
04 - Turn the heat up to medium-high and put in your ground beef. Break it up with your spoon while it cooks. When it's no longer pink, mix in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add your tomato sauce, the crumbled beef bouillon, salt, and those warm spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Pour in a little water (about 1/4 cup), mix everything, and let it bubble until it gets thick, about 5-7 minutes.
05 - Put the bay leaf and butter in a pot over medium heat. When the butter's melted, mix in the flour and cook it briefly so it doesn't taste raw. Add the crumbled beef bouillon and stir it all up.
06 - Mix your milk and half and half together, then slowly pour it into the flour mix while whisking non-stop. Stop between pours to break up any lumps. Add nutmeg, white pepper, and a bit of kosher salt. Keep whisking until the sauce starts to bubble gently and gets thick enough to coat a spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in half of your mozzarella until it melts.
07 - Mix some of your bechamel (about a quarter) with the pasta and spread it on the bottom of your baking dish. Put the meat sauce evenly on top, then pour the rest of the bechamel over everything. Sprinkle the leftover mozzarella on top.
08 - Cover the dish with foil (spray the inside first so cheese won't stick to it). Bake it covered for 45 minutes, then take the foil off and bake 15 more minutes. For a golden top, switch to broil for just a minute or two. Watch it carefully!
09 - Let it cool down for at least 15 minutes before you dig in. If you want really neat slices, wait about 40-45 minutes. It's totally worth waiting for.

# Notes:

01 - This Egyptian dish makes a great meal for family get-togethers and celebrations.
02 - It tastes so much better when you eat the leftovers a day later.
03 - Most Egyptian families enjoy this meal during Sunday gatherings or holidays.

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