Egyptian Macarona Bechamel
A classic Egyptian baked pasta: layers of penne coated in rich bechamel sauce, sandwiched around warmly spiced ground beef (cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper), baked until the top is golden and lightly crisp. Creamy, comforting, and feeds a crowd.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- 13x9-inch baking dish
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Spiced Beef
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 3/4 tsp salt for the beef
- 3/4 tsp black pepper for the beef
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon for the beef
Bechamel
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 cups whole milk
- 2 tsp kosher salt more or less to taste, for the bechamel
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon for the bechamel
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper for the bechamel
Pasta
- 1 pound cooked penne pasta cooked al dente
Instructions
- Cook the Beef: Cook the ground beef in a pan over medium-high heat, breaking it apart constantly until no longer pink. Drain any fat.
- Season the Beef: Add the diced onion, minced garlic, cardamom, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Reduce heat and saute until the onions are translucent. Set aside.
- Make the Bechamel: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, then gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and thickened. Stir in the kosher salt, cinnamon, and black pepper. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes.
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Coat the Pasta: In a large bowl, combine the cooked penne with 3 cups of the prepared bechamel. Stir until the pasta is well coated.
- Assemble: Spread half the penne mixture into a buttered 13x9-inch baking dish. Spread the beef mixture evenly over the penne layer. Top with the remaining penne mixture.
- Bake: Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown, watching closely during the last 10 minutes to prevent burning.
Notes
Cook the pasta al dente so it doesn't turn mushy after baking. Let the bechamel rest 10 minutes before mixing with the pasta. Coat the pasta thoroughly rather than just drizzling sauce on top. Watch the top closely near the end of baking, bechamel can go from golden to burnt quickly. Drizzle any leftover bechamel over the top layer before baking for extra creaminess. Let rest about 10 minutes before slicing for cleaner servings. Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated; freezes well baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. Note: the source's ingredient list has cinnamon listed twice (once for the beef, once for the bechamel), both are used as written.