Egyptian Macarona Béchamel (aka Macarona Forn) is a pasta bake that is simply a cross between the Greek Pastitisio and Italian Lasagna. This decadent pasta dish has three layers: cooked al dente penne, then a layer of luscious red meat-tomato sauce, spiked with warm spices, and finally a layer of creamy and silky béchamel.
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce:
1l - 33.8 fl oz of crushed tomatoes (2 cans of tomatoes or 1 kg tomatoes blended)
1 Onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Butter
Bechamel:
250g - 8.8 oz Plain Flour
250g - 8.8 oz Butter
1.5l - 50.7 fl oz Cold Milk
2 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp White Pepper
Hint of nutmeg
Mince Meat:
1 tbsp Butter or Oil
1 medium Onion
500g - 17.6 oz Minced Beef
1 Garlic Clove
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
Directions:
Directions:
Tomato Sauce:
1- Prepare your crushed tomatoes by blending 2 cans of tomatoes or 1kg of tomatoes in a blender
2- Melt your butter in a stainless steel pot over a high heat, and add your large diced onions
3- Cook for a few minutes until the onions turn translucent
4- Add your crushed tomatoes to the pot and stir
5- Add in 1 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper and mix
6- Bring to a boil and then cover with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar
7- Leave to simmer for 45 minutes on a medium to low heat
8- Sauce is ready when reduced to a third of original amount
Mince Meat:
1- Add oil or butter to a pan on high heat and crush your garlic clove into it
2- After 30 seconds add your onions, salt, and pepper then stir
3- Cook your onions for around 5 minutes until cooked through and move to one side of the pan
4- Add your minced beef to the empty part of the pan, pushing it down so it has good contact with the pan
5- Cook your beef for around 3 minutes then flip
6- After 3 more minutes break up your beef into small chunks using a wooden spoon
7- Stir the onions into the beef and cook for a further 5 minutes until brown and cooked through
Bechamel:
1- In a large non-stick pot melt all of your butter on a high heat
2- When melted add all of your flour and mix until all the butter has been absorbed
3- You are looking to form a wet dough that clumps together, if your mixture is looking too dry add more butter, if too dry add more flour.
4- Cook your dough for around 5 minutes until it starts to resemble wet sand
5- Start adding your milk 150ml at a time, add the milk and mix it in to the dough until fully combined
6- Keep adding your milk in batches of 150ml until you have mixed all the milk into the dough. You should be left with a thick bechamel. If your mixture is too doughy or dry, add more milk a little at a time.
7- Add your salt and pepper as well as a few small grates of nutmeg. Leave to cool before using.
To assemble:
1- Cook your penne pasta to the directions on your packet, drain then set aside.
2- In a small mixing bowl add your meat and half of your tomato sauce.
3- Mix the meat and the sauce till the meat is coated, feel free to add more sauce but make sure you keep 3-4 tablespoons aside as you will need these later
4- In a large mixing bowl add your pasta and 2/3rds of your bechamel and mix to combine. Press the bechamel into the pasta so it fills the tubes
5- In a 8 X 13 inch baking dish, put half of your pasta and press into a flat layer. Make sure not to leave any gaps and compress it well
6- Add your meat mixture and flatten until level, press down to compress
7- Add the rest of your pasta in an even layer on top of the meat and press flat. Fill in any gaps all the way to the edge
8- Add the remaining tomato sauce and spread thinly over the pasta
9- Finally cover the tomato sauce with rest of your bechamel you set aside earlier, spreading it into an even layer and smoothing the top
10- Beat your egg and brush or pour over the top
To cook:
1- Preheat your oven to 180c or 350f
2- Place the dish into the center of the oven and cook for 45 minutes until golden brown on top
3- Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes
Cut into 8-10 portions and enjoy!
►Listen to Piter from Egypt, member of KYCLOS community, talking about the recipe. Click on the photo!
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