Macarona bechamel
Baked penne with beef and béchamel
Macarona bechamel: Egypt's beloved baked penne with spiced minced beef under a thick white sauce
EgyptianEvery Egyptian family has an opinion on how thick the béchamel should be, and a tray of macarona bechamel turns up at Friday lunches, Ramadan tables and family gatherings from Alexandria to Aswan. Penne is layered with minced beef cooked down with onion, tomato and a breath of warm spice, then sealed under a deep blanket of white sauce that bakes to a freckled golden crust. Cut into squares, it should stand up on the plate: soft, creamy pasta below, savoury meat in the middle, set custardy sauce on top. Serve it with a green salad or a bowl of molokhia and plenty of pickles. Don't make the béchamel too thin: it should coat the back of a spoon thickly, or the bake slumps when you cut it. Chef's tip: stir a ladle of the béchamel into the plain pasta before layering; it binds the bottom layer so the slices hold their shape.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the meat
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 ⅛ lb beef minceabout 15% fat
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp saltdivided
- ½ tsp ground black pepperdivided
For the pasta
- 1 ⅛ lb penne
For the béchamel
- 3 ½ oz butter
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- 5 cups milkwarm
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 eggbeaten
- 1 ⅜ oz grated cheese (optional)such as mild white cheese or cheddar
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Method
0/11 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat and fry 2 onions for 7–8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
8 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb beef mince and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook over a medium-high heat until every bit has lost its pinkness and the juices have evaporated, so the meat starts to fry and brown. Minced beef must be cooked through (160°F).
10 minStep 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, ½ tsp ground allspice, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, half of ¾ tsp salt and half of ¼ tsp ground black pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of water and simmer until it is thick and moist but not saucy. Set aside.
5 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Boil 1 ⅛ lb penne in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says, so it is still firm; it finishes in the oven. Drain.
10 minStep 5: For the béchamel, melt 3 ½ oz butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add 3 ½ oz plain flour and whisk for 2 minutes until it smells like biscuits but has not browned.
2 minStep 6: Pour in 5 cups milk a ladle at a time, whisking hard after each addition so no lumps form. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, whisking, for 5–6 minutes until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily, like thick custard. A thin sauce is the usual reason the slices collapse, so let it thicken properly.
8 minStep 7: Take the sauce off the heat and season with ¼ tsp ground nutmeg and the rest of ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in 1 egg quickly so it does not scramble.
5 minStep 8: Mix the drained pasta with one ladle of the béchamel. Spread half the pasta in an oiled 25 × 35 cm baking dish, spoon over all the meat in an even layer, then cover with the rest of the pasta and press down lightly.
Step 9: Pour the remaining béchamel over the top, spreading it right to the edges, and sprinkle over 1 ⅜ oz grated cheese if using.
Step 10: Bake in the centre of the oven for 35–40 minutes, until the top is puffed and patched deep golden brown. Slide it under a hot grill for 2–3 minutes if it needs more colour.
38 minStep 11: Leave it to rest for 15 minutes before cutting into squares; it sets as it cools slightly and the slices come out clean.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does macarona bechamel take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground cinnamon?
- A cinnamon stick, ground: about ½ tsp per stick.
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