Entree: Egypt – Egyptian Street Food – مكرونة بشامل ➤ Makarona Bashamel (Baked Egyptian pasta casserole with seasoned ground meat and creamy béchamel sauce)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 45 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr 25 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) macaroni or penne
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef or lamb
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground allspice
- 1 1/2 tsp (9 g) salt
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) black pepper
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or beef broth
- 4 tbsp (60 g) butter
- 4 tbsp (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (720 ml) whole milk
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup (100 g) grated cheese (kashkaval, cheddar, or mozzarella)
- Extra grated cheese for topping, about 1/2 cup (50 g)
- Fresh parsley or chopped dill for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water until just al dente, drain, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
3. Add ground beef or lamb, break up with a spoon, and brown until no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or broth, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. To make the béchamel, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes to form a roux. Gradually whisk in milk and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in nutmeg and 1 cup (100 g) grated cheese until melted.
5. Temper the beaten eggs by whisking a small amount of the hot béchamel into the eggs, then quickly whisk the warmed eggs back into the sauce off the heat to avoid curdling. Adjust seasoning.
6. Combine the drained pasta and the spiced meat in a large bowl and toss to combine. Transfer half of the pasta-meat mixture to a greased 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish, spread half of the béchamel over it, then add the remaining pasta-meat and top with the remaining béchamel. Sprinkle with extra grated cheese.
7. Bake for 20–30 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Let rest 10 minutes, garnish with parsley or dill, then slice and serve.