Macarona Bechamel
Macarona Bechamel is a classic Egyptian comfort food featuring layers of pasta, a rich spiced ground beef filling, and a creamy béchamel sauce, all baked until golden and bubbly. It's a hearty and satisfying dish, perfect for family meals.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 hr 25 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 856 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
pasta
- 500 gmacaroni, ditalini or penne
meat filling
- 500 gground beef, lean
- 1 pcsyellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 0.5 cupbeef broth
- 1 tspsalt
- 0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tspseven spice blend
- 1 tbspolive oil
béchamel
- 0.5 cupunsalted butter
- 0.5 cupall-purpose flour
- 4 cupwhole milk, warm
- 1 pcsegg yolk
- 0.25 tspnutmeg, grated
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
garnish
- 1 tbspolive oil
Equipment
large skillet · large pot · whisk · 9x13 inch baking dish · large saucepan
The method
Step by step
- 1
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
- 2
Cook the macaroni according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcook the pasta, as it will continue to cook in the oven.
- 3
For the meat filling, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
About 1 min
- 4
Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
About 6 min
- 5
Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes.
About 9 min
Cook’s note: Drain any excess fat if necessary.
- 6
Stir in the tomato paste, beef broth, salt, black pepper, and seven spice blend.
About 1 min
- 7
Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the flavors have melded, then set aside.
About 6 min
- 8
For the béchamel sauce, melt unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
About 2 min
- 9
Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, to create a roux.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Do not let the roux brown too much; it should remain light in color.
- 10
Gradually whisk in the warm whole milk, a little at a time, to prevent lumps.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the milk is warm to help create a smooth sauce.
- 11
Continue to cook and whisk until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency, about 5-7 minutes.
About 6 min
Cook’s note: The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
- 12
Remove from heat and stir in the egg yolk, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Stir vigorously to incorporate the egg yolk without scrambling it.
- 13
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil.
About 1 min
- 14
Spread about one-third of the béchamel sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
About 1 min
- 15
Add half of the cooked macaroni over the béchamel layer.
About 1 min
- 16
Evenly spread the entire meat filling over the macaroni.
About 1 min
- 17
Top with the remaining macaroni.
About 1 min
- 18
Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the top, spreading it evenly to cover all the pasta.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the top is completely covered for a golden crust.
- 19
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
About 40 min
- 20
Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: This allows the dish to set and makes it easier to cut into portions.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 856.4kcal
- Protein
- 32.7g
- Carbs
- 81g
- Fat
- 44.1g
- Fibre
- 2.8g
- Sugar
- 12.3g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover Macarona Bechamel in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave or a larger portion in the oven until warmed through.