Pastitsio

Pastitsio
2 packs of thick macaroni
750g of minced meat (Americans call it ground meat)
2 medium-sized diced onions
One clove garlic
1 bay leaf
2-3 ripe diced tomatoes
4-5 teacups olive oil
150 grams Kefalotyri cheese
Pinch of basil
Salt and Pepper

For the Béchamel sauce:
1 teacup flour
4 teacups milk
3 beaten eggs
1 teacup refined oil
150 grams Kefalotyri (cheese)
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and Pepper

Sauté the onions in a teacup of oil, until they turn golden. Add the minced meat and sauté it with the onions stirring constantly.

Add the tomatoes, the bay leaf, the pinch of basil, salt, pepper and some water. Let everything cook over a medium fire for about 30 minutes. Half cook the macaroni in plenty of salted water, cool it down and drain. Heat the second cup of oil, in a frying pan, and pour it over the macaroni.

In the meantime, prepare the béchamel sauce as follows:
Heat the oil in a pot and add the flour stirring constantly so that it does not turn lumpy. Warm the milk and add it to the oil and flour paste beating constantly with an egg mixer.

Remove the pot from the fire and add the beaten eggs, the pinch of nutmeg, the cheese, the salt and pepper stirring constantly. In case the sauce turns out too thick, add a little milk.

Lay out the layer of macaroni in a dish (Pyrex) or pan sprinkle it with cheese and cover with the minced meat mix, you have already prepared. Spread the remaining macaroni over the minced meat layer, sprinkle again with cheese and cover with the béchamel sauce.

Sprinkle the sauce with cheese. Bake it in a strong oven for about 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it cool down. Cut it into square pieces and then serve it.

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the ground beef and onion until slightly browned. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, salt, pepper and parsley. Cover and cook over medium heat until the mixture has the consistency of a sauce; allow to cool.

Pre-cook the macaroni in hot water for five minutes. Drain the water.
Pour oil in a baking pan and put in half the macaroni at the bottom. Cover with the meat sauce filling. Top with the remaining macaroni. Sprinkle with cheese. Use the olive oil, flour, milk and eggs to make the white sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let the white sauce cool.

Cover the macaroni with the white cream. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the cheese and cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes, cut into square pieces and serve.

Check that you understand what these words mean in this document
To sauté: to cook food in oil or fat over heat, usually until it is brown.
Constantly: all the time.