Macarona Bechamel
Penne bound in béchamel over a layer of spiced mince, baked until the top sets into a sliceable crust. Egypt by way of the Ottoman kitchen, and every child’s favourite.
Photograph credit: Macarona bechamel by Zebi2424 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Build the Meal Around Macarona Bechamel
- Salata baladi
- Torshi
- A green salad
Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Eish Merahrah.
Making Macarona Bechamel, Step by Step
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Boil the penne in well-salted water for 4 minutes less than the packet says. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop it cooking.
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Fry the onions in the oil 8 minutes, add the mince and cook 12 minutes until browned and dry.
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Stir in the tomato purée, allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper and water and simmer 8 minutes until nearly dry. Set aside.
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For the béchamel, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook 3 minutes. Add the milk gradually, whisking, then cook 10 minutes until very thick — it should fall from the spoon in a sheet.
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Take off the heat, season with nutmeg and salt, and cool for 5 minutes before beating in the eggs so they do not scramble.
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Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Fold two-thirds of the béchamel through the pasta.
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Layer half the pasta in a deep dish, spread the meat over, then the rest of the pasta. Spread the remaining béchamel on top, scatter with cheese, and bake 45 minutes until set and deep gold. Rest 15 minutes before cutting.
Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.
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A Few Notes
A very thick béchamel. It has to set, not pour.
Undercook the pasta by 4 minutes.
Cool the sauce before the eggs go in, or they scramble.
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerated for 4 days and it slices better cold. Reheat covered at 180°C / 356°F for 25 minutes. It freezes for 3 months.
Common Questions
How long does Macarona Bechamel take to make?
35 minutes of preparation and 1 hour 35 minutes of cooking, plus 15 minutes of resting, so allow 2 hours 25 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 8.
Macarona Bechamel Nutrition Facts
No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (some ingredient lines cannot be read). Why some recipes have none.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .
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