Description
This recipe was cooked by amateur chefs as part of the BBC's Step Up to the Plate television programme.
Ingredients
500g/1lb 2oz macaroni, cooked according to packet instructions, drained
75g/2½oz halloumi cheese, half grated
For the meat
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, grated
500g/1lb 2oz minced pork
1 tsp tomato purée
1 medium tomato, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
handful chopped fresh parsley
For the cheese sauce
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp plain flour
600ml/1 pint milk
2 free-range eggs, beaten
75g/2½oz halloumi cheese, grated
pinch salt
green salad, to serve (optional)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Stir the grated halloumi cheese into the macaroni and set aside.
3. For the meat, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and fry for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the minced pork and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until golden-brown, then stir in the tomato purée and grated tomato. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add the cinnamon and mint and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the volume of liquid has reduced by a third. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
4. For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. When the butter has melted, add the flour, half of the milk and the beaten eggs and mix well until combined. Gradually add the rest of the milk and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat, then add the grated halloumi and the salt.
5. Place half of the cheese pasta at the bottom of an ovenproof dish, then cover it with a layer of the meat sauce. Top the meat with the rest of the cheese pasta, then pour over the cheese sauce. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese sauce has set and is golden-brown.
6. To serve, spoon a portion of the macaroni cheese onto a serving plate. Serve with a green salad in a side bowl.
