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Egyptian Macaroni béchamel dish

Egyptian Macaroni Béchamel

A comforting baked pasta dish made with layers of macaroni, seasoned ground beef, and creamy béchamel sauce, baked until golden and bubbly.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 9 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Egyptian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta:
  • 3/4 lb penne pasta
  • Salt (for boiling water)
For the Meat Filling:
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 6 tbsp tomato sauce
For the Béchamel Sauce:
  • 8 tbsp butter unsalted
  • 8 tbsp flour
  • 4 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp Salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
  • 2 eggs

Method
 

Cook Pasta:
  1. Boil penne pasta in salted water until just al dente.
  2. Drain and set aside.
Prepare Meat Filling:
  1. Heat the oil, sauté the onions until soft, then add the ground beef.
  2. Cook until browned.
  3. Season with cardamom, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  4. Add tomato sauce and mix well.
  5. Cook for 3 minutes and set aside.
Make Béchamel:
  1. Melt butter over medium heat in a big pot.
  2. Whisk in flour (gradually), cook 3–5 minutes or until it turns to a light golden color.
  3. Turn off the heat. Gradually add milk, whisking until thick and smooth.
  4. Return to medium heat again. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Whisk and bring to a boil. Let it boil for a minute while whisking.
  6. Turn off the heat. Let it cool down completely.
  7. Whisk the eggs and add them to the bechamel sauce and mix well.
Assemble:
  1. Mix some béchamel with pasta ( about 3/4 to 1 cup).
  2. Spread about 3 tbsp of bechamel sauce on the bottom of your 9x13 baking dish.
  3. Layer half the pasta, then the meat, then the remaining pasta.
  4. Pour remaining béchamel on top.
Bake:
  1. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for an hour and 30 minutes until golden.

Video