MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Macaroni Pastitsio, Cypriot
 Categories: Turkish, Groundmeat, Noodles, Pork, Lamb
      Yield: 6 servings
 
      1 lb Macaroni
      4 tb Butter
      8 oz Cyprus Halloumi cheese;
           - grated
    1/4 ts Cinnamon
      1 ts Dry mint; crushed
      1 ts Fresh mint; finely chopped
           Salt and freshly milled
           - black pepper
      3    Eggs; lightly beaten
           MEAT SAUCE:
      1 lg Onion; finely chopped
      1 cl Garlic; crushed
      2 tb Vegetable oil
      1 lb Minced meat (lamb/pork or
           - beef)
    1/4 pt Dry white wine
    1/4 pt Stock or water
      1 ts Tomato puree
      3    Chopped peeled tomatoes
      2 tb Breadcrumbs
      2 tb Flat leaf parsley; chopped
           Salt and freshly milled
           - black pepper
           BECHAMEL SAUCE:
      3 tb Butter
      3 tb Flour
  1 1/4 pt Milk
  1 3/4 oz Halloumi cheese; grated
      2 tb Bread crumbs
           Salt and freshly ground
           - pepper
      1    Egg; lightly beaten
    1/4 ts Nutmeg
 
  Preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F/Gas Mark 5. Cook macaroni in a
  large pan of boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes until just
  tender.  Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to
  cool and return to pan. Melt butter until golden brown and pour
  over macaroni. Add Halloumi cheese cinnamon, mint, salt and pepper
  to taste and toss well. Leave to cool for 1 minute. Add egg and
  toss again. Keep aside.
  
  Now prepare the meat sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the
  onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes until softened. Increase
  the heat and add mince-meat. Stir well and cook until meat begins
  to brown. Add remaining meat sauce ingredients and simmer over
  gentle heat for 20 minutes.
  
  Next prepare the bechamel sauce. In a small saucepan heat the milk
  just before boiling point and set aside. Melt butter in a medium
  saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently for 2 minutes. Add the
  warm milk little by little, stirring well after each addition with
  a wooden spoon, to prevent the formation of lumps. Bring to the
  boil and continue boiling gently for 1 minute.
  
  Add Halloumi, 1 tablespoon bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste
  and cool a little before stirring in beaten egg. Add 3 tablespoons
  of bechamel sauce to the cooked meat sauce and mix well.
  
  In a well-buttered oven dish of 30x20 cm / 11x8", line the bottom
  with half the macaroni and spoon the meat sauce evenly on top.
  Cover with remaining macaroni levelling top. Pour on bechamel sauce
  and spread to completely cover macaroni. Sprinkle with grated
  Halloumi cheese, nutmeg and remaining bread crumbs on top and bake
  for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.
  
  TASTES OF CYPRUS
  www.cosmosnet.net
  Argiris (Gary) Zias
 
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