Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt 1 oz of butter in lg. skillet and sauté‚onion til soft and transparent. Add the meat, cook until browned. Mix tomato paste with wine and add to meat. Continue cooking, adding nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Cook about 15 minutes, take off heat, cool and mix in half the breadcrumbs and half the grated cheese. Set aside. Do not allow meat to "bulk", keep it separated. Cook the macaroni in boiling water with oil til soft. Drain and set aside.
Make crema. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese.
To Assemble: Grease a baking dish (LIKE A LASAGNA PAN) and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs. Spread half the cooked pasta over the bottom of the dish and sprinkle it with 1/4 c reserved cheese. Spread all of the meat over the pasta. Pour half the sauce over the meat and spread the rest of the pasta over it.
Sprinkle it with 2 TB. of cheese. Pour the rest of the sauce on top and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and breadcrumbs and bake in the preheated oven 50-60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
Serve with Greek salad and lots of chilled retsina wine. |
