Middle Eastern Lamb & Pasta Bake
Our Middle Eastern Lamb & Pasta Bake is a fusion of succulent ground lamb, seasoned with aromatic Middle Eastern spices, layered with penne pasta, and smothered in a luscious golden brown bechamel sauce. Baked to perfection, this wholesome dish brings together the warmth of home-cooked comfort with the rich and satisfying taste of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine.
Equipment
- 8-cup capacity baking dish
Ingredients
MEAT SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 500g lamb mince (you can also use beef)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Lebanese 7 spice mix (See Notes)
- 1 teapsoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon each salt and cracked black pepper
- 400g bottle passata sauce (I used Mutti Baby Roma)
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar (optional)
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh parsley and mint (or just parsley)
BECHAMEL SAUCE
- 60g butter
- 60g plain flour
- 600ml full cream milk
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- ¼ teapsoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
TO ASSEMBLE
- 400g dried penne pasta
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
COOK PASTA
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook according to packet directions or al dente. Drain and refresh under cool running water to stop the cooking process. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat. Set aside.
MAKE THE MEAT SAUCE
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute.
- Crumble in the lamb mince then cook, breaking up lumps with a spoon for 5-8 minutes or until browned all over. Drain the excess fat from the pan and return to heat.
- Add the tomato paste, Lebanese 7 spice, thyme, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the passata, sugar and water, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes or until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley. Set aside to cool slightly.
BECHAMEL SAUCE
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from the side of the pan. Remove from heat.
- Gradually pour in half the milk, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk, until mixture is smooth. Gradually add the remaining milk, whisking until smooth and combined.
- Return the saucepan to a medium-high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat. Add the nutmeg, pepper, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Set aside to cool slightly.
TO ASSEMBLE
- Preheat oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan forced). Grease an 8 cup capacity baking dish with canola non-stick cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup of the bechamel sauce to the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
- Layer the baking dish with half of the pasta, then all of the lamb sauce, then the remaining pasta. Evenly pour over the remaining bechamel sauce to cover the top.
- Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the bechamel is lightly golden brown. Carefully remove from the oven, sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into slices and serving. Serve with a crisp garden salad on the side if desired.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - LEBANESE 7 SPICE MIX
Lebanese 7 Spice Mix is highly aromatic and an essential spice mix for Lebanese & Middle Eastern cooking. Also known as ‘Baharat’ or ‘Middle Eastern 7-Spice. You can make this easily at home by using my Lebanese 7 Spice Mix recipe. Alternately, you can also purchase this from speciality food stores or online.
I have used 1 teaspoon of this spice mix in this recipe. It gives a fairly mild but distinct flavour. However, you can increase the spice mix to 1 1/2 or even 2 teaspoon for a more punchy deep aromatic flavour.