Pastitsio

2. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and cook until mixture turns golden. Gradually stir in hot milk and cook, stirring, until sauce is smooth and hot. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks, then briskly stir in 1 cup hot milk mixture. Pour egg-milk mixture into remaining sauce. Stir and remove from heat without cooking the eggs.

4. Heat milk to a simmer and set aside. In a bowl beat eggs with flour. Gradually stir hot milk into egg mixture. Return to saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is quit thick. Do not boil after eggs have been added.

6. Brown chopped onions and meat in butter. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices and seasonings. Cover an simmer for 30 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed. Cool.

8. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Sprinkle bread crumbs into a buttered 11 x 14 x 2-inch baking pan. Place a layer of pasta in the baking pan; then add half the thin cream sauce. Add meat. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated cheese. Add another layer of pasta, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Cover with remaining thin cream sauce. Spread thick cream sauce over top and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for an hour or until golden. Let stand 15 minutes to cool and cut into squares. (Note that you cannot cut the Pastitsio easily unless you cool it for 15 minutes.) When ready to serve, reheat in hot oven.