Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        white sauce
  4               cups  milk
     1/4           cup  butter or margarine
     2/3           cup  all-purpose flour
     1/2                bay leaf
  1           teaspoon  salt
     1/3           cup  freshly grated parmesan cheese
                        ******
  6               cups  eggplant -- finely diced
  2          teaspoons  salt -- divided
  1         tablespoon  olive oil -- plus 1 teaspoon
  1                cup  onions -- finely chopped
  2          teaspoons  garlic -- minced
     1/2      teaspoon  cinnamon
  1              pinch  ground red pepper
  1              pound  lean ground beef
     1/2      teaspoon  dried mint
     1/2      teaspoon  freshly ground pepper
     1/4           cup  tomato paste
  28            ounces  whole tomatoes -- canned
     1/3           cup  fresh flat-leaf parsley -- chopped
  16            ounces  ziti -- cooked

Preparation:

1. Make White Sauce: Bring milk to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Melt butter in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, bay leaf and salt; bring to boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf and stir in Parmesan. 2. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt; drain in colander 30 minutes. Pat dry. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. 3. Heat oven to 375øF. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add onions and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon and red pepper; cook 15 seconds. Add meat, mint, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper; cook, stirring, until meat is no longer pink. Add tomato paste and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with spoon. Add eggplant and bring to simmer; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. 4. Transfer cooked ziti to large bowl and stir in 1 cup White Sauce. Spread half the ziti in bottom of deep 5-quart casserole. Spoon on filling, then remaining ziti and White Sauce. Bake uncovered 25 to 35 minutes, until bubbly and browned. Makes 8 servings. Prep time: 1 hour Baking time: 25 to 35 minutes

Nutritional Information:

380 Calories (kcal); 24g Total Fat; (55% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 75mg Cholesterol; 1034mg Sodium