Macaroni Bechamel
Macaroni Bechamel
Egyptian-style macaroni bechamel is influenced by the the Greek version that we know as pastitsio. With Greece being across the Mediterranean Sea from Egypt, it makes complete sense. This ultimate comfort food consists of macaroni tossed with a bechamel sauce. It is layered in a baking dish, with the center being a tomatoey ground beef layer. The whole dish is topped with more bechamel and is then baked in the oven.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 lb macaroni prepared according to package directions
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Bechamel
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 large egg beaten
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes.
- Add in the ground beef and brown for 8 minutes.
- Mix in the tomato paste and chili powder. Cook for 4 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the heavy cream. Whisk away any lumps of flour.
- Season with thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the bechamel thickens. Take off the heat. Whisk in the beaten egg. Set aside.
- Mix half of the bechamel with the cooked macaroni.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9”x13” baking dish. Pour in half of the macaroni.
- Spread the ground beef evenly over the top.
- Place the rest of the macaroni over the top.
- Pour the rest of the bechamel over the macaroni.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
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