Baked Macaroni with Minced Meat (Macaroni Pastitsi...

This Greek fashion lasagna is a well-loved and fashionable dish with Greeks, worldwide. My youngsters adore it.

Right here is my Auntie Loulla of Kosmos Restaurant‘s recipe under.

(Serves 8)

For the filling

• 700g (1 ½ lb.) minced lamb, beef, pork or hen
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 1x 450g canned, chopped tomatoes
• 1 glass pink dry wine
• 1 tbsp. tomato puree
• ½ tsp. floor cinnamon
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2-3 tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp. chopped mint
• Salt and freshly floor black pepper
• For the pasta
• 500g (1lb) Misco Greek thick macaroni
• 50g (2oz) butter, softened
• 50g (2oz) grated Kefalodyri, halloumi or parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp. floor cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. chopped mint
• 2 eggs, frivolously overwhelmed
• Salt and pepper
• Béchamel
• 75g (3oz) butter
• 100g (4oz) plain flour
• 850ml (1 ½pints) full fats milk
• 40g (1 ½ oz.) grated cheese plus additional for topping
• 2 eggs, frivolously overwhelmed
• Salt and white pepper
• A pinch of grated nutmeg

35 x 24cm (14 x 9 ½ inch) sq. oven proof dish

Technique

Put together the filling first. Warmth the olive oil in a big frying pan or a wok (which I favor) and sauté the onions for jiffy. Add the garlic and mincemeat and stir-fry till the mince is brown. Pour within the wine and permit to boil then combine the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, cinnamon, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Combine within the herbs and simmer for half-hour. Style and regulate seasoning.

Place the macaroni in a big saucepan of boiling salted water, prepare dinner till simply tender, then drain and return to the saucepan. Season and blend within the butter. Enable to chill just a little then combine within the cheese, cinnamon, herbs and the eggs.

Make the béchamel sauce in a medium, spherical heavy-saucepan over a low warmth. Soften the butter and add the flour, cooking for about 2 minutes or till flour is golden brown. Take away from the warmth and step by step stir within the milk, stirring on a regular basis utilizing a whisk till you’ve got a easy paste. Return to the warmth stirring continually till the sauce has thickened. Combine within the overwhelmed eggs and cheese and season to style.   

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375 f fuel mark 5.

To assemble the macaroni, butter the oven dish and put half the cooked macaroni evenly in to the bottom of the dish and prime with the mincemeat filling earlier than protecting with the remaining macaroni. Pour the béchamel sauce on prime and unfold to utterly cowl, sprinkle with cheese, and nutmeg. Bake for 40-45 minutes or till golden brown and go away to chill for at the least 10 minutes, earlier than serving. Minimize into giant sq. parts, and serve accompanied with a salad.

Do additionally be a part of Loulla’s personal Fb Group which has hundreds of members: Loulla’s Recipe Share.