This is not your normal red sauce, savory baked pasta dish. I love the unqiness of this pasta because it has spices like nutmug and cinnamon in it, which makes the dish have such a deep, rich flavor. So perfect for the cooler, fall weather! If you don't need this many servings feel free to cut the recipe in half, I did!
Yield: approximately 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground beef (92% lean)
¾ cup dry red wine
One 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 bay leaves
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pound penne or ziti
2 large eggs, separated
4 ounces feta cheese (about 1 cup)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated
Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skilet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion
and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add
the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 more minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the red wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by half, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and ground cloves to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente, then drain and let cool for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until loosened. Add the penne and the feta and toss together. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until a paste forms and starts to smell nutty, 2 minutes.
Gradually add the cream, whisking constantly, until well combined. Add ½ cup of the Parmesan and continue to whisk. Cook until the sauce is bubbling and thick, about 6 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
While whisking constantly, add the egg yolks to the cream sauce and continue whisking until the sauce cools a bit and is smooth and creamy. Add the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg and stir well to combine.
To assemble, spoon the penne mixture evenly into an 11 x 14-inch baking dish.
Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the meat mixture. Evenly spoon the meat mixture over the penne and smooth until level. Pour the cream sauce over the meat mixture, completely covering the meat and penne. Top with the remaining ½ cup Parmesan.
Bake until the top is golden brown and slightly springy to the touch, like an egg custard, 40 to 45 minutes.
Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
TIP: You can assemble this ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake the following day.
Happi Pasta Making!
Disclosure: Recipe courtsey of Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3
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