CHEESY SPAGHETTI AND MINCE SLICE

INGREDIENTS

• 125g butter
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 liter ( 4 cups ) of milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 3/4 cups ( 150g ) finely grated kefalograviera ( sheep's milk ) cheese
• 500g spaghetti pasta
• 90g butter, extra
• 1/4 cup stale breadcrumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

MEAT SAUCE

• 60g butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1kg minced beef
• 4 large ( about 660g ) tomatoes, peeled, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 egg whites

CHEESY SPAGHETTI AND MINCE SLICE METHOD:

Melt butter in a pan, add flour, and stir over heat until bubbling. Remove from heat, gradually stir in milk, and stir over heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in egg yolks and 1/3 cup of the cheese; cool. 

Add pasta to a large pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, until just tender; drain; cool. Melt extra butter in the same pan until lightly browned, stir in pasta, and remove from heat. 

Stir in 1 1/3 cups of the remaining cheese, and stir until well combined. Spread half the pasta mixture into greased 27cm x 33cm baking dish. 

Top with half the meat sauce, then the remaining pasta mixture, and spread with the remaining meat sauce. 

Top with cheese sauce, sprinkle with combined breadcrumbs, nutmeg, and remaining cheese. Bake in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meat Sauce: Heat butter in a pan, add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring, until onions are soft. Add mince, cook, stirring, until well browned. Stir in tomatoes, paste, sugar, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove cloves and bay leaf; cool. Stir in lightly beaten egg whites.

Serves 8.

Note: Slice best made a day ahead.

Storage: Covered, in refrigerator.

Freeze: Suitable.

Microwave: Pasta suitable

Also Read: BEEF CURRY WITH YOGURT AND COCONUT CREAM