Μακαρόνια του Φούρνου — Print Recipe

A beloved baked pasta dish with penne, spiced beef mince, tomato sauce, and mint, topped with halloumi-enriched bechamel and baked until golden and set.

Ingredients

500g penne pasta
500g minced beef
1 large onion, diced
400g crushed tomatoes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp dried mint
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2.5 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
100g halloumi, grated
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1 Cook penne until al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil.
2 Brown minced beef with onion. Add crushed tomatoes, cinnamon, dried mint, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes.
3 Make bechamel: melt butter, whisk in flour, gradually add milk. Cook until thick. Off heat, stir in eggs and grated halloumi.
4 Combine cooked pasta with the meat sauce. Spread in a greased baking dish.
5 Pour bechamel evenly over the top.
6 Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes until golden and set. Rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Did You Know?

This is often called the Cypriot lasagne — served at virtually every wedding, baptism, and holiday gathering on the island.