Pastitsio (Greek Cinnamon Beef Macaroni Bechamel Bake)

Cook 250 g macaroni slightly less than al dente because it will continue softening in the oven. Drain it thoroughly and spread it out so the tubes do not clump. Cook 120 g onion in a pan over medium heat until translucent, then add 300 g ground beef. Break up the meat and brown it until no raw red patches remain. Add 250 ml tomato sauce and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, lower the heat, and simmer for 12 minutes. The sauce is ready when it is thick and no loose liquid pools on the bottom; a watery layer would soak the pasta below. For the bechamel, melt 2 tablespoons butter, stir in 2 tablespoons flour, and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 400 ml milk until the sauce is smooth, thick, and still able to pour from a spoon. Spread the macaroni in a baking dish and season it with part of the 40 g Parmesan. Level the beef sauce over the pasta, cover it with the bechamel, and finish with the remaining cheese. Bake at 190C for 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges bubble gently. Rest the dish for at least 15 minutes before cutting. That pause is part of the structure, not merely cooling time: it allows the meat sauce and bechamel to settle around the pasta so a firm downward cut produces neat portions instead of a loose scoop.