Greek lamb & macaroni bake
By Cassie Best
Cooking time
Prep: 20 mins Cook: 1 hr, 15 minsSkill level
EasyServings
Serves 6A cross between moussaka and macaroni cheese, this thrifty Mediterranean pasta bake makes for a hearty meal
Nutrition and extra info
Additional info
- Freezable
Nutrition per serving
- kcalories
- 548
- protein
- 33g
- carbs
- 56g
- fat
- 21g
- saturates
- 10g
- fibre
- 4g
- sugar
- 8g
- salt
- 1g
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 500g lean lamb mince
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 beef or lamb stock cube
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 400g macaroni
- 250g tub ricotta
- 50g parmesan, grated
- 50ml milk
- garlic bread, to serve (optional)
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Method
- Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the lamb mince, turn up the heat and brown, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon.
- Once the lamb is browned, add the cinnamon, crumbled stock cube, tomatoes and oregano. Stir well and simmer for 15 mins, covered, then for 15 mins, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have cooked down.
- Meanwhile, cook the macaroni following pack instructions. Drain well. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
- Mix together the ricotta, most of the Parmesan and the milk with plenty of seasoning, and stir into the macaroni. Tip the mince into a large baking dish, top with the macaroni mixture, and scatter over the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 30 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve hot with garlic bread, if you like.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, January 2013
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Comments, questions and tips
Comments
I think this may become a 'family favourite' as the first time I made it, it went down really well (clean plates) My 2 boys aged 10 and 7 have asked for it again.
To make it gluten/wheat free I substituted the macaroni with gluten free penne pasta and used a gluten free Kallo organic stock cube. I also added some carrot/celery/pepper to the mince (what I had in the fridge at the time) and served with some broccoli.
Made this for 2 of us to have twice over (so essentially to serve 4) kept to the recipe more or less although used just 300g macaroni. It was really really filling, couldn't imagine eating it with garlic bread as well. We are having left overs tonight. Will definately make again as it was an easy recipe to follow too, nothing technical at all.
Really enjoyed this. Cooked exactly to the recipe, although I may add a few mushrooms next time and possibly some carrots & celery just to up the 'hidden veg' content! I especially liked the ricotta topping. Easy to make; served 5-6 generously. I served with a salad rather than the garlic bread. Definitely making again.
This was really yummy and the whole family loved it - my husband asked me to make it again and he's not easy to please! It was really easy to make, but I didn't realise it took so long to cook so I had to cut it short as the kids were starving. I cut the simmering of the lamb sauce down to 15 mins and the oven cooking time to 25 mins and it was still perfect. There was loads left over to freeze too.