Macarona Béchamel Egyptian Pasta Bake
Egyptian-style baked pasta with spiced ground beef and a thick, creamy béchamel. Comforting, cheesy and a family favorite across the Middle East.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) penne
- 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) ground beef
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1 tsp seven spice (baharat) or allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
- Béchamel: 1/2 cup butter, 2/3 cup flour, 5 cups warm milk, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 2 eggs, salt
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Cook penne 2 minutes under package time and drain.
- Brown beef with onion, add garlic, tomato paste, water and spices. Simmer 15 minutes until thick.
- Make béchamel: cook butter and flour, whisk in milk until thick. Cool slightly and whisk in eggs and nutmeg.
- Mix one-third of the béchamel with the pasta.
- Layer half the pasta, the meat, the remaining pasta, then the rest of the béchamel.
- Top with mozzarella and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35-40 minutes until golden.
- Rest 15 minutes.
Notes
Mixing some béchamel into the pasta makes the dish extra creamy.
Find it online: https://munchtwist.com/macarona-bechamel-egyptian-pasta-bake/