Penne with Blue Cheese and Snausage

Pastitsio

Based on Saveur

MEAT SAUCE:

1⁄3 cup olive oil

2 green bell peppers, chopped

2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground lamb

1 lb ground bison

1 qt tomatoes, processed
1⁄3 cup red wine

1⁄4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp oregano

2 bay leaves

1  2" cinnamon stick

salt and pepper

nutmeg, to taste

BÉCHAMEL AND PASTA:

8 Tbs unsalted butter

1 cup flour

4 cups milk

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs, separated

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

1 lb shells (pasta)

2 Tbs olive oil

Meat Sauce: 
Heat oil in dutch oven (red) over medium-high heat. Add peppers, onions and garlic and cook, until soft, 8–10 minutes. Add ground meat and cook, breaking meat up into tiny pieces, until browned, 6–8 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine, pepper flakes, bay leaves, oregano and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat, discard bay leaves and cinnamon, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; let cool.

Béchamel: 
Heat butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and slightly toasted, 1–2 minutes. Add milk; cook, whisking often, until sauce coats the back of a spoon, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat, add 3⁄4 cup cheese and egg yolks; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until smooth; set aside. 

Pasta and Stuff:
Heat oven to 350°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook halfway through, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk egg whites in a large bowl until frothy. Stir in remaining cheese; drain pasta in a colander and then toss with egg white–cheese mixture to coat evenly. Set aside. 

baking dish with olive oil. Place half the pasta mixture on bottom of dish and cover evenly with meat sauce. Top with remaining pasta mixture. Pour béchamel over pasta, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 1 hour. Transfer to wire rack; cool 20 minutes before serving.