Name: Pasta Moussaka
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Cooking spray or butter, for baking dish -; 1 lb. ziti -; 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan -; 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil -; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped -; 1 lb. lean ground beef (90% or above) -; 4 cloves garlic, minced -; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon -; 1 tsp. paprika -; 2 tsp. dried oregano -; 1 bay leaf -; 2 (28-oz. cans) diced tomatoes -; Kosher salt -; 1 tsp. sugar -; 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1" chunks -; 1/2 c. dry red wine -; Freshly ground black pepper -; 2 c. whole milk -; 4 tbsp. butter -; 1/3 c. all-purpose flour -; 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan -; Pinch freshly grated nutmeg -; Kosher salt -; 2 egg yolks -

Ingredients for - Pasta Moussaka

1. Cooking spray or butter, for baking dish

2. 1 lb. ziti

3. 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan

4. 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

5. 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

6. 1 lb. lean ground beef (90% or above)

7. 4 cloves garlic, minced

8. 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

9. 1 tsp. paprika

10. 2 tsp. dried oregano

11. 1 bay leaf

12. 2 (28-oz. cans) diced tomatoes

13. Kosher salt

14. 1 tsp. sugar

15. 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1" chunks

16. 1/2 c. dry red wine

17. Freshly ground black pepper

18. 2 c. whole milk

19. 4 tbsp. butter

20. 1/3 c. all-purpose flour

21. 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan

22. Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

23. Kosher salt

24. 2 egg yolks

How to cook deliciously - Pasta Moussaka

1 . Stage

Make the meat sauce: Grease a 9"-x-13" baking dish with cooking spray or butter and set aside. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

2 . Stage

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add cinnamon, paprika, oregano, and bay leaf and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3 . Stage

Add tomatoes with their juices, 1 teaspoon salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Add eggplant and wine, stir well, and cover partially. Return to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender and excess liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

4 . Stage

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for half the time on the package directions. Drain. Add cooked pasta to meat sauce, stirring to fully coat noodles. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 375º.

5 . Stage

Make the béchamel: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk.

6 . Stage

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, sprinkle in flour, and whisk until smooth. Cook until it slightly darkens and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes.

7 . Stage

Very slowly pour warmed milk into butter mixture, continuously whisking until it is smooth and thickened to a custard-like consistency, about 5 minutes.

8 . Stage

Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and nutmeg. Season with salt. Let cool slightly, then whisk in egg yolks.

9 . Stage

Assemble the pasta: Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Using a rubber spatula, spread béchamel evenly over pasta, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan on top.

10 . Stage

Grease underside of foil with cooking spray and cover dish loosely. Bake for 20 minutes.

11 . Stage

Increase heat to 400º, remove foil, and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, or until evenly browned.