This is a hearty, filling macaroni dish that makes a since side dish.
Ingredients
Beef Filling
1 pound of ground beef
1 1/3 cup of crushed tomatoes (canned)
1/2 onion, chopped
fresh basil leaves
bay leaves
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. oil
Bechamel ingredients
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. white flour
2 tsp. salt
pinch of nutmeg
4 cups of milk
4 ounces of mozzarella cheese
12 ounces of macaroni
How to make
1. Being by sauteeing the onion in 1 tbsp. of oil on medium heat until the onion turns brown. Then add in the minced garlic and cook for a few more minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant but doesn't burn.
2. Add in the tomato, salt, spices and bay leaf.
3. In another saucepan, cook the other tablespoon of oil with with ground beef until the ground beef turns brown. Then add the beef into the tomato mixture.
4. Cover and cook until combined. The flavors should meld and the tomato should be dried up a bit. About 15-20 mins. At the end add in the basil leaf and remove bay leaf.
5. Combine butter and flour in a saucepan over low to medium heat. Cook until the mixture turns brown and nutty, constantly stirring, for about 5-7 minutes.
6. Add in nutmeg, salt. Stir in the milk slowly, to prevent lumps from forming. Cook the sauce on medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from burning. Sauce is done when it thickens and bubbles up, about 10 minutes.
7. In the meantime, boil water over high heat and add in the macaroni. Cook the macaroni in the boiling water for about 8-10 mins, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta after cooking.
8. When the sauce and pasta are finished, combined the drained pasta with the white bechamel sauce. Place the first layer of pasta in the bottom of a baking pan. (about half the mixture). Then add a layer of beef filling. Then add another layer of macaroni and finally the mozzarella cheese on top.
9. Cook covered at 350 degrees F for about 30 mins. Then uncover and broil to brown the top if you like.
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