Egyptian Pasta Casserole

For the Pasta:

• 1 pound (454 g) penne pasta

• 2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter (1 ounce; 30 g), see notes

For the Béchamel:

• 4 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter (2 ounces; 56 g)

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce; 32 g)

• 4 cups (946 ml) whole milk, plus more as needed

• 1/4 cup cream cheese (2 ounces; 57 g)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Meat Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter (1 ounce; 28 g)

• 1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces; 226 g), finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 3 medium cloves garlic (1/2 ounce; 15 g), minced

• 500 g (17 3/4 ounces) ground beef (about 15% fat)  

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon dry oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

• 1 cup (240 ml) tomato passata (see notes)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 cup reserved pasta water, from above

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Assemble:

• 1 tablespoon ghee or unsalted butter (1/2 ounce; 15 g), for greasing

• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 3/4 ounces; 50 g)

• 1/2 cup grated low-moisture, full-fat mozzarella (1 3/4 ounces; 50 g)

  
  

• For the Pasta: In a medium pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water; set aside. Using a colander, drain pasta, then transfer pasta to a large mixing bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons ghee or butter until fat is melted and pasta is evenly coated. Set aside.

• For the Béchamel Sauce: In a large saucepan, melt ghee or butter over medium heat; do not allow it to brown. Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Continue to cook, stirring, until raw flour scent is gone, about 1 minute. Add milk in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly and thoroughly and getting into all corners of the pan to maintain a homogeneous texture.

• Heat, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in cream cheese until a smooth, emulsified cheese sauce forms; do not let sauce come to a boil once cheese is added. Whisk in ground cloves nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Cook over low heat until sauce is thick enough coat the back of a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. (A finger run through the sauce on the back of the spoon should leave a mark. Remove from heat; set aside.)

• For the Meat Sauce: In a large cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel skillet, melt 1 tablespoon ghee or butter over medium heat until foaming. Add onion and cook until softened and deep golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, oregano, allspice, nutmeg, and salt, and cook, stirring frequently and breaking the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until most of the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

• Add the passata, tomato paste, and 1 cup reserved pasta water. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, color deepens slightly, and has the consistency of bolognese, 20 to 25 minutes.

• To Assemble: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Using ghee or unsalted butter, grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.

• In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with 1 1/2 cups of béchamel sauce, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella. Scrape half the pasta mixture into an even layer across the base of the dish. Top with all of the meat sauce, spreading it into an even layer, then add the remaining pasta and béchamel mixture. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, spread the pasta into an even layer. Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the pasta, spreading it evenly from side to side to cover the pasta. Top with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella.

• Bake until cheese is melted and pasta is bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove pasta from oven briefly; heat broiler to high. Return pasta to oven and broil, checking frequently to prevent burning, until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Serve.