Garlic Béchamel Pasta Bake

Ingredients

Pasta and meat

• 200 g penne
• 250 g minced beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp each of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves
• 2 tbsp butter with vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 tbsp tomato paste with 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp melted butter and 1/4 tsp paprika
• 200 g mozzarella

Béchamel

• 1 liter milk
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp black pepper
• (or a packet of béchamel mix with cream cheese and garlic)

Method

1. Cook the pasta.
2. Soften the onion, add the meat with the spices, then the tomato and let it reduce, then the tomato paste mixture and parsley (it should stay saucy), then the oregano.
3. Béchamel: toast the butter with the flour, add the milk gradually while stirring, then the stock cube, cheese, garlic and spices, and adjust the salt.
4. In a Pyrex dish, layer pasta, then the meat with a little béchamel, then pasta, then all the béchamel and finally the cheese. Bake from below until bubbling, then brown the top to melt the cheese. Rest 10 minutes at room temperature before cutting.