betty's pastitsio

Ingredients For betty's pastitsio

• 1 1/2 lb

  (750g) pasta, such as shells, penne or spirals
• MEAT SAUCE
• 1 Tbsp

  vegetable oil
• 1

  large onion, diced as fine as you can
• 2 lb

  (1 kilo) ground beef (minced beef)
• 2 tsp

  minced garlic
• 1 can

  crushed tomatoes
• 1 bottle

  Italian passata (thick tomato juice)
• 1 tsp

  ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp

  ground allspice
• 4

  bayleaves
• 1/2 c

  water, to swish out the remaining juice from the can and then pour into the passata bottle and shake to get all the tomato juice from there too
• 2 tsp

  sugar (to counter act the acidity of the tomatoes)
• 1/2 tsp

  salt
• 1/2 tsp

  ground cloves
• BECHEMEL WHITE SAUCE
• 4 oz

  (100g) butter, salted
• 1/2 c

  plain flour
• 3 - 4 c

  milk
• 1 tsp

  onion powder
• 1/2 tsp

  ground nutmeg
• TOPPING
• 1 lb

  mozzarella cheese, grated