Macarona Béchamel (Middle Eastern)

egyptian-macaronabechamel Macarona Béchamel, as it’s known in the Middle East, is a Béchamel pasta bake that takes the win for the best pasta casserole ever. Macarona Béchamel is an Egyptian recipe that kind of resembles Italian Lasagna. It is said that Egyptians were introduced to the creamy Béchamel sauce by the French during the occupation. Macarona Béchamel is a casserole layered with a well-seasoned beef mixture, baked pasta and a deliciously creamy Béchamel sauce. Topped with a golden layer of mozzarella cheese makes this easy to prepare dish simply irresistible.

Red Pasta and Beef:
1 lb elbow noodles
1 medium onion, cubed
1 lb ground beef
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. seven spices
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
28 oz pasta sauce
1½ cup mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded

Béchamel Sauce:
6 Tbsp. butter
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
3½ cups milk
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

For the Béchamel Sauce:
In a medium pot over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter.

Sprinkle in flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes until combined.

While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Whisk aggressively to break up any lumps.

Continue to whisk for about 2-4 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.

Remove off of the heat and season with salt and pepper.

Assembly:
Boil the elbow noodles according to the box instructions, then drain. Split the elbow noodles in half in two separate bowls and set aside.

Meanwhile, add ¼ cup of olive oil to a pan on medium high hear. Sauté the cubed onions for about 3-4 minutes, then add the ground beef and continue to sear for 5-7 minutes until ground beef is cooked.

Pour the cooked ground beef and onions onto one bowl of cooked noodles. Add all the pasta sauce over them and mix well.

Pour the pasta into a 9x13" baking sheet, or a 10-12" round pan, then spread it and level out the pasta.

In the other bowl, pour over the prepared béchamel sauce. Mix, then pour over the red pasta and level out the pasta once again.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese all over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, then broil on high for 1-4 minutes or more if needed until cheese is golden.

Serve warm.

Makes 10 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Don’t overcook your pasta: Your dish will continue to bake for about 30 minutes after you assemble everything together.
Use room temperature butter and milk (not hot or boiling). Using cold ingredients will make whisking the ingredients a bit of a hassle.
To enhance the taste, some people add broth to the mix. This is completely optional, but it is said to add so much flavour to your Béchamel pasta.

Storage:

To Store: Store your leftover Béchamel Pasta Bake in an airtight container (or covered with cling wrap) in the fridge for about 3-5 days. But if you are planning to make-ahead, then you can assemble everything the day before, pop it in the fridge, then bake it when you are ready.
To Freeze: Start by assembling your meal, cover it well with aluminum foil, then pop it in the freezer.
To Thaw: When you are ready to enjoy a savoury bite, allow your Macarona Béchamel to thaw overnight in the fridge. Bake as instructed and enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make the sauce thicker? Sure you can. Adjust the thickness of your sauce by using more or less liquid than it is recommended. For example, if your want your Béchamel sauce to be thicker, than add a bit of milk.
Do I have to add mozzarella cheese? Personally, I would never say no to cheese. However, feel free to skip this step since your Béchamel Pasta already has a deep rich creamy flavour.
Can I use other types of pasta? Yup. My recipe calls for using elbow noodles, but you can definitely use any type of pasta you want. Penne is a great option.