Experience a culinary journey with this Greek-inspired beef macaroni casserole, a recipe straight from my grandma’s kitchen! Prepare to redefine your notions of classic macaroni and cheese with this flavorful twist.
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients for 12 servings of Macaroni Casserole:
For the Casserole:
- 1.45-kilogram (3.2 lbs) pack of elbow macaroni
- 450 grams (1 lb) ground beef
- 1 large chopped onion
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 220 grams (1 cup) tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 lightly beaten egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
For the Sauce:
- 200 grams (7/8 cup) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups milk
- 2 lightly beaten eggs
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions for Making Macaroni Casserole:
- Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. Drain the water.
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the meat whitens. Drain excess fat. - Add tomato sauce, water, and spices to the meat. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked macaroni, beaten egg, and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- For the sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan, add flour and cinnamon, stirring until smooth.
- Gradually add milk, bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat. Add a little of the hot mixture to the beaten eggs, then pour back into the saucepan, stirring constantly.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese.
- In a greased 3-liter baking dish, layer half of the macaroni mixture. Top with the beef mixture and the remaining macaroni mixture. Pour the sauce over.
- Bake, uncovered, at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 45-50 minutes.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy your hearty meal!
