What I baked this weekend was a rich-indulgent and succulent macaroni and cheese casserole.
Layers of macaroni, spicy meat sauce loaded with cheese white sauce, baked into an awesome weekend dinner…. The recipe involves several steps for preparing the different layers but I am sure it will worth all the hard work when you will enjoy this scrumptious casserole with your family and friends and receive loads of praises.
I began with boiling my pasta. The best way to get it Al Dante is, throw your pasta in water when it gets rolling boiling. Let the pasta boil for not more than 12 minutes. Drain the water and rinse your pasta quickly with tap water. This is to stop the cooking process continued by the steam in there. Drop a little olive oil in it to keep your pasta from sticking to each other and getting lumpy while you prepare the sauces.
Once you have prepared both the meat sauce and white sauce, begin layering them. Your olive oil tossed macaroni lies in the bottom of your oven proof dish.
Then spread an even layer of the meat sauce. Here I have used chicken but you may substitute it with beef or mutton for the same recipe.
Now pour your cheese white sauce generously over the meat layer. I have kept the sauce fairy thin in consistency so it may run down through the bottom layer of macaroni keeping them moist and keeping the dish from running dry . The more fluid your sauce the better fused all the flavours get in a casserole while baking.
Spread shreds of your favourite cheese on top
Finally sprinkle some oregano leaves, dried or fresh, to give it a nice herby aroma and flavour.
Bake your casserole in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes. Do not over bake or your dish would lose all its moisture and juiciness. Then turn off your oven and turn on the top grill for 5 minutes or till the cheese layer gets nice golden blisters.
There you go! Your scrumptious and delectable pasta treat is ready…
- 1 packet macaroni
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 200 grams cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon Oregano leaves dried or fresh
- MEAT SAUCE
- 1 kg chicken or beef mince
- 1 bay leaf
- 4-5 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon ginger crushed
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 teaspoons red chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 cup bottled pizza sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato purée
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon roasted ground white cumin
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- WHITE SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups milk or more if required to keep sauce a little runny
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder
- Salt to taste
- 200 grams grated cheddar cheese
- Boil macaroni. Strain and toss in some olive oil. Set aside.
- In a saucepan. Heat a little oil and fry the bay leaf . Add the mince and sauté till it turns white and all it's water dries out. Now add garlic and ginger and sauté for another one minute. Add in all the spices and seasonings. Finally add in the pizza sauce, hot sauce and stock. Cover and simmer at low heat for two minutes . Your meat sauce is ready.
- In another saucepan, heat butter and sauté flour in it for a minute. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in milk . Continue whisking to avoid forming lumps of flour . If some lumps are formed , don't worry , keep whisking and return to the flame but at it's lowest . Add in the spices and cream cheese. Once the sauce comes to a boil, add the cheddar cheese. The sauce is ready , but don't over cook so it becomes thick and lumpy.
- Layer macaroni in an ovenproof casserole dish. Cover with the meat layer . Pour the white sauce over it. Spread a generous layer of grated cheese on top and finish off with a sprinkle of oregano. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. Grill the top layer for 5 minutes after baking .
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Nice blog you have here Nazeeha. Is there any particular brand of pizza sauce you can suggest please? American Garden? Salmans ?
I’ll be making this pretty soon InshaAllah. Keep up with the good work.
Thanks 🙂
Thanks Sana. Both American Garden and Salmans work and taste good.