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Pasta with minced meat and bell pepper with bechamel sauce

Baked Pasta with Ground Meat, Bell Pepper, and Béchamel Sauce

Turn everyday pasta into a real showstopper! Béchamel pasta, sometimes called "Arab lasagna," is considered one of the most satisfying and delicious dishes in Middle Eastern cooking. It's such a favorite across the region that home cooks work it into the weekly menu at least once.

Rainbow

Recipe author

Pasta with minced meat and bell pepper with bechamel sauce

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pasta (short shapes work well)

350

Water

Salt

Ground meat (beef or lamb)

200

Bell pepper (large)

Tomato paste

Mushrooms (fresh)

300

Onion

Pepper

Butter (or olive or sunflower oil)

Wheat flour (sifted)

3.5

Milk

Hard cheese

300

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 26 % 6 g

Fats 30 % 7 g

Carbohydrates 43 % 10 g

121 kcal

GI: 20 / 70 / 10

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather and measure out all your ingredients.
Step 2:

First, cook the pasta. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and salt, and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for the time on the package. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water. Peel and chop the onion and sauté it in a skillet with butter until translucent.
Step 3:

Add the rinsed, chopped mushrooms to the skillet with the onion.
Step 4:

Add the seeded, chopped bell pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 5:

Add the ground meat, cook briefly, then stir in the tomato paste. Cook everything until done, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 6:

To make the béchamel: cook the flour in the butter until golden. Add a splash of the warm milk and whisk thoroughly until smooth, so no lumps form. Pour in the rest of the milk and set it over the heat, whisking constantly until it comes to a boil. You can stir in a little cheese for extra flavor. Set aside about a cup of the sauce, and mix the rest into the pasta.
Step 7:

Spread half the pasta in a baking dish, top with the meat-and-vegetable filling, and cover with the remaining pasta.
Step 8:

Pour the reserved cup of sauce over the top and bake. Just before serving, sprinkle with grated cheese and return it to the oven for 10 minutes.
Step 9:

This pasta is best served warm.

For this recipe, it's best to use durum-wheat pasta — it tastes better and is more wholesome than pasta made from all-purpose flour. It's a substantial main that can also stand on its own as a snack. Pair it with hot tea or any drink you like. Cook with heart!