Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Cook 450g of penne in salted water until just al dente and drain. Set aside ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons of light olive oil; toss the pasta with 1 tablespoon of it.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook 1 medium chopped onion for 1 minute. Add 450g of ground beef and brown, breaking it apart, then drain the fat.
- Stir in ¼ cup of tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
- Melt ¼ cup of unsalted butter with the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in ¾ cup of all-purpose flour for 1-1½ minutes, until pale yellow.
- Gradually whisk in 2½ cups of whole milk and 2½ cups of chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickly coats a spoon.
- Mix ¾ cup of sauce into the pasta. Spread ½ cup of sauce in a 9 × 13in / 23 × 33cm baking dish. Layer half the pasta, all the beef, and the remaining pasta.
- Spread the remaining sauce over the top. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting.