Your Cyprus Pasta dish!
Makaronia tou fournou is one of the absolute staples in a Cypriot Dinner. It is also known under Pastitsio.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 kg pork mince
- 2 ½ tbsp dried mint
- salt & black pepper
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Bunch of parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 500 g penne/ spaghetti
- 3 packs of halloumi, grated
- 1.5 L milk
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 125 g plain flour
- 1 egg, beaten
Method:
Prepare the Mince Meat
- In a large frying pan heat your olive oil and brown off your chopped onions. Then add the garlic and pork mince, and break the mince, whilst allowing it to brown. Then add the mint, salt, pepper, cinnamon, parsley and oregano.
- Allow the mince to cook for 15-20 mins and set aside.
Boil your pasta
- While the mince is still cooking, boil the pasta as per packet instructions. Don’t allow the pasta to over cook/ go too soft.
- Drain the water and set aside
- Using a separate large pot, place it on a medium heat, and add your butter in and allow it to melt.
- Stir in the flour using a whisk and allow a roux to form.
- Slowly add in your milk whilst continually mixing. Your sauce should begin to thicken.
- Add 2 packs of grated Halloumi in, and mix.
- Take your pot off the heat, and add in 1 beaten egg, and keep mixing for 3 minutes, and then set aside.
Time to Assemble
- Preheat the oven to 190°C fan forced.
- Use a medium, fairly deep baking tray, add half the pasta to the bottom. Then add half the mince meat mixture on top. Now spoon about 3 tablsepoons of your Bechamel sauce over the mince meat.
- Now add the remainder pasta (leave a handful of pasta behind) on top, followed by the remainder mince meat, topped with another 3 tablespoons of Bechamel sauce. Now sprinkle the handful of pasta that you have left on top.
- Carefully pour all the Bechamel sauce over the top. Sprinkle 2 packet of grated halloumi on top and place it in the oven.
- Cook for around 35-40 mins or until the top layer is golden brown.
- Allow it to cool for an hour or so before cutting so that the pasta
-
holds its shape, and enjoy!
Recipe by Co-founder, Gabriella
@flavourswithgabs