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1
Preheat oven to 375F.
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2
Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a generous amount of salt.
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3
Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions; drain.
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4
Meanwhile, cook lamb in a large saucepan over medium heat, breaking meat apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.
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5
Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
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6
Transfer lamb mixture to a colander; drain off fat, and discard.
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7
Return lamb mixture to pan; add wine.
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8
Cook over medium heat until almost all liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.
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9
Stir in tomato paste, cinnamon, and the water; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
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10
Season with salt and black pepper.
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11
Meanwhile, make bechamel sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
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12
Whisk in flour until incorporated; cook, whisking, 1 minute.
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13
In a slow, steady stream, whisk in milk until completely smooth.
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14
Cook, whisking often, until mixture is bubbling and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
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15
Stir in cayenne, if using, and parmesan.
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16
Add pasta to lamb mixture; transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
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17
Pour bechamel sauce over the top, smoothing with the back of a spoon until level.
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18
Bake until browned in spots, 35 to 40 minutes.
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19
Remove from oven; let cool 15 minutes before serving.
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20
Pastitsio holds up very well in the freezer.
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21
Prepare recipe through step 5, then let cool completely before covering tightly with plastic wrap.
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22
Freeze up to 3 months.
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23
To bake, remove plastic and cover with foil (do not thaw); cook until heated through, about 1 hour.
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24
Remove foil, and continue baking until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes more.
