Preparation time : 60 mins. (approx.) | Serves 6-8 persons
This Macaroni Bechamel recipe is taken from Egyptian cuisine in which penne pasta is coated with the creamy bechamel sauce and ground beef is stuffed between the pasta layers. The recipe is more or less similar to the typical lasagna except the difference of pasta.
Ingredients:
For Beef Stuffing:
2 tbsp oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
6 garlic cloves (minced)
2 lb ground beef (leaned)
8 oz tomato sauce
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg (lightly beaten)
For Bechamel Sauce:
8 cup milk
6 tbsp butter
6 tbsp flour
1 tsp fresh thyme
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
Salt and Pepper to taste
For Assembling:
1 dash parmesan cheese (optional)
16 oz pkg of penne pasta (prepared according to package instructions)
1 tsp fresh thyme (chopped)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp butter (softened)
Procedure:
1. In a saucepan, saute onion in oil till gets soft, then add garlic and saute for further 2 mins.
2. Add ground beef and cook over medium heat till become brown and dry.
3. Now add tomato sauce, salt and pepper and simmer for 5-10 mins. till gets bubbly.
4. Add in aroma of fresh herbs including parsley, thyme, and cinnamon and stir to combine well and then remove pan from heat.
5. When mixture become slightly cool stir it with beaten egg and gently mix so that egg would not cook.
6. Now to prepare bechamel sauce, melt butter in a pan, mix with flour for just 1-2 mins, then slowly add milk and whisk well so that no lumps would be there.
7. Then add seasoning of salt, pepper and thyme along with grated mozzarella cheese and cook till sauce gets thick and dense.
8. After that cool the sauce to room temperature then add in beaten eggs and mix well.
9. Mix half of the bechamel sauce with pasta and reserve remaining half for topping.
10. Now to assemble macaroni bechamel, place a layer of half of the pasta at the bottom, then spread the prepared beef mixture over the pasta evenly, then cover with remaining pasta and pour the remaining bechamel sauce to cover the whole pasta. Top with some Parmesan cheese, dots of butter, oregano and thyme.
11. Place the pan in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 30-40 mins, till become golden brown from top.
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