Baked Pasta Recipe

Imqarrun il-Forn: Malta’s favourite macaroni dish!

This baked pasta recipe may seem like any other recipe, but it’s not. It’s easy to prepare and yet so tasty!

Imqarrun il-Forn (as it's called in Maltese) is one of the favourites in Maltese cuisine.

As with most Mediterranean meals, pasta features heavily in Maltese cooking.

Macaroni has long been the most popular type of pasta on the Maltese islands and we guarantee that this is one of the most delicious macaroni recipes you’ll find.

Try it and you’ll soon understand why Baked Macaroni (or Imqarrun il-forn) is Malta’s most popular pasta dish!

Baked Pasta Recipe: Imqarrun il-Forn

Ingredients

Half a kilo (or 1 lb and 1.63 oz) macaroni

Half a kilo (or 1 lb and 1.63 oz) mixed pork and beef mince

2 onions (finely chopped)

2 beaten eggs

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Oil (for frying)

Method

Add the minced meat. (Optional: for added flavour, you can add a couple rashers of chopped bacon to the minced meat). Allow the meat to brown. Season with salt and pepper.

Now it's time to mix the tomato paste with a tumbler of warm water. Pour the mixture into the pan with the meat. Cook the mixture for one hour.

In the meantime, you can boil the macaroni in salted water. The pasta need not be boiled as if it was just about to be served because it will be cooked further when you bake it.

Drain the pasta and put in a big bowl. Let it cool. Mix in the eggs and three tablespoons of the cheese with the macaroni.

As soon as the meat sauce is ready, add it to the pasta mixture and mix well.

Next, transfer everything to an oven-proof dish. (Make sure to butter the dish before you put in the mixture.) Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese and bake on medium for about half an hour. Since ovens vary, check on the macaroni when the half an hour has passed. The macaroni has been cooked well when the top becomes crunchy and turns a bit brown.

And there you have it. Malta's top favourite pasta dish!

Doesn't it look delicious? Trust us, it is :)

Want more Maltese recipes?

Maltese Rabbit Stew Recipe

Aljotta (Fish Soup) Recipe

Stuffed Eggplant Recipe



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