Macaroni Tou Fournou

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When we were growing up, this was a firm family favourite.  It makes a great main dish with salad but, believe it or not,  we used to have it as side with the Sunday roast.  Also, Mum said after she got married and had me and Ben, Stede would always make a dish and bring it over for our birthday parties together with the Keftedes.  All our friends still rate these dishes as some of their all time favourites.


MACARONI TOU FOURNOU (MACARONI IN THE OVEN)- WITH GREEK SALAD

SERVES 8 GENEROUSLY 

PREP TIME: 3 STAGES 30 MINS

COOKING TIME: 45-60 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

  • 750g Macaroni - (the long slim type - such as bucatini) 

  • salted water Cooking or Olive Oil 

  • 375g Minced Beef

  • 375g Pork Mince 

  • 2 medium onion

  • 2 Garlic Gloves 

  • 2 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 

  • 1 rounded tsp dried mint

  • Handful of fresh mint 

  • 1 Halloumi (grated)

  • 2 Bay Leaves 

  • 1 Cinnamon Stick

  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Béchamel Sauce 

  • 150g butter

  • 2 pints whole milk

  • 3 tablespoons plain flour

GREEK SALAD - TO GO WITH MACARONI 

To serve 8-10

  • 2 large cucumbers - peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped

  • 1 head romain lettuce - shedded

  • 250g baby plum or cherry tomatoes - halved

  • 340g (approx) jar kalamata olives - preferably pitted

  • one round of fresh feta - diced into cubes

  • half cup fresh mint - chopped 

  • half cup fresh parsley - chopped

  • Toss together all of the above and dress with white wine or cider vinegar extra virgin Greek olive oil and salt

METHOD:

1 Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan Gas 6

2 Put the pasta into a saucepan of boiling salted water and boil until al dente then drain and put back into saucepan. drizzle with olive oil to stop it from sticking then set aside.

3 Heat a little oil in a large pan over high heat add the onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes until translucent.

4 Add the meat to the onion and cook until starting to brown. Add bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook for about 30 minutes until sauce thickens. 

5 Meanwhile, prepare the cream. Put the butter into a saucepan and heat until the butter has melted.

6 Add flour to make a roux. Add salt and pepper. Slowly add milk to make thick white sauce, whisking continually until thickened but do not allow to boil. The mixture should thicken till it lightly coats the back of a spoon (consistency of single cream). Add one third of the halloumi.

7 Add one third of the of the halloumi and the mint to the pasta and stir through. Put half the pasta into a dish. Add about a third of the cream to the pasta and allow it to seep through. Spread the meat sauce over the pasta, then put the rest of the pasta on top. Cover with the cream and sprinkle with the final third of halloumi. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

8. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 20-30 mins to cool before serving 

RecipesSam Thomas