Macarona Bechamel

Macarona béchamel is Egypt's pasta bake, penne layered with a spiced minced meat sauce, covered in béchamel and baked until the top browns. The dish arrived through the same routes that carried béchamel across the Mediterranean, and Egypt made it its own. It is a close relative of Greek pastitsio and of the wider family of baked pasta dishes that runs around the Mediterranean rim, but the spicing is Egyptian: the meat sauce is seasoned with cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg rather than with oregano or basil. It is comfort food in the fullest sense, and it is what appears at family gatherings, on Fridays, and at any occasion where a large dish that feeds many people is required. Most Egyptians have a strong opinion about how their mother makes it. The béchamel is the part worth getting right. It should be thick enough to sit on top rather than sink into the pasta, and it is usually enriched with egg, which helps it set into a firm golden layer rather than staying loose. It reheats well and is often better the day after, which is part of why it is made in quantity.