Maltese Macaroni Cake (Imqarrun il-forn)
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| 2 hours
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It's Macaroni Cake perfection built with tubes of pasta filled with tangy ragu and covered in a crispy rigatoni topped with shredded melted Parmesan cheese. And all you need to eat a big slice of this savory perfection is 15 minutes preparation and a hot oven.
This Maltese / Sicilian version of my “macaroni cake” can be considered a single dish and don’t think you’ll still be hungry after eating a portion. It’s a very nice dish to present for lunch as it always leaves a great impression with guests. Well you just have to try it, everyone can choose the filling that they like best, meat-based, like mine, or with a vegetable sauce, simple tomato and basil sauce – free choice to your imagination.
To make this cake I used normal rigatoni with a circumference that was not exactly mini since I find that the meat fills better the holes. An important tip that you should not underestimated is the cooking of the pasta, which must be drained al dente before baking in the oven.
Why You’ll Like It
- A Mediterranean speciality! Sicilians and Greeks have pasticcio, Maltesers call it “Mqarrun il-Forn” aka Macaroni in the Oven.
- A crowd-pleaser recipe. Almost every Maltese kid loves the recipe and they use it for parties, stand-up weddings, picnics and also for a packed lunch. Apart from that you’ll find it even in the Maltese local “pastizzi” shops where they sell local savory pastries.
- It’s AM-AZ-ING. Trust me.
For the Perfect Maltese Macaroni
- Don’t overcook the top. It’s nice the have a little overcooked macaroni but too much will taste bad.
- See what works for your family. Some people like the pasta bake a little loose, and some like it all stuck together so that it can be eaten as a sandwich.
- Encase in pastry and it will become a Maltese Timpana.
What You Need
- Pasta – Use striped rigatoni, elbow pasta or short pasta.
- Meat – Use a mix of minced beef and pork. I use mostly lean ground beef but a 1:1 ratio makes this macaroni cake special.
- Tomatoes – You can use canned whole crushed tomatoes or tomato puree. Don’t use fresh tomatoes unless you know that they’re ripe enough to make a good sauce for the pasta.
- Tomato paste – Tomato paste gives color and taste to the pasta.
- Peas – Use fresh or frozen peas. Leave them out if your guests or family don’t like it or have pea allergy.
- Milk – Use whole milk or plant-based in case of special dietary requirements.
- Eggs – The eggs are used in the recipe to bind the ingredients together and give that crusty top to the pie.
- Cheese – Use parmesan grated cheese or any other cheese that can be used for bakes and doesn’t have a strong taste.
- Spices – Use a pinch of mild curry. I usually leave this out but Maltese people like it with the curry. Season with salt and pepper.
- Optional –
- Boiled eggs – This is optional but some Maltesers like to add boiled eggs to their macaroni cake.
- Soffritto – This is optional. You can sautee chopped carrots, onions and celery before adding the meat. Alternatively, you can use 1/2 cup of homemade stock with the meat and cook long enough until all the liquid dries up.
Save Your Maltese Baked Macaroni For Later
- Leftovers: Allow to cool and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. Reheat in the microwave or for 15-20 minutes in the oven at 180C
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven or microwave.
Serving Maltese Macaroni Cake
So most Maltese families serve this with fresh Maltese bread with butter on the side. Maltese bread is one of the tastiest breads around the world – and NO I’m not exaggerating. Most foreigners who visit Malta all agree on this thing.
Another ingredient not missing on a Maltese table is more Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle on the top and enjoy. Pair with sparkling water, a Maltese Lager or Kinnie and enjoy!
Health Info
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More Pasta Bake Recipes:
Maltese Baked Macaroni Recipe
Fat: |Carbohydrates: |Protein:
Description
It's Macaroni Cake perfection built with tubes of pasta filled with tangy ragu and covered in a crispy rigatoni topped with shredded melted Parmesan cheese. And all you need to eat a big slice of this savory perfection is 15 minutes preparation and a hot oven.
Ingredients
- 17½ oz (500g) striped rigatoni or short pasta
- 17½ oz (500g) minced mixed beef and pork
- 1½ cup (375ml) tomato puree
- 1 tbsp tomato concentrate
- ½ cup (75g) peas also frozen
- ½ cup (125ml) milk
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup (30g) Parmesan grated
- ½ tsp mild curry
- fine salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- extra virgin olive oil to taste
Instructions
- In a pan add a drizzle of olive oil and when and brown the mince over a high flame just long enough to make it change color.
- Add the tomato extract and melt it with the cooking juices. We pour the tomato sauce, and, finally, season with curry powder, salt and pepper.
- We cook the sauce over very low heat for at least an hour, adding hot water if necessary.
- Halfway through cooking, add the peas, stir and continue to cook the sauce until it is cooked.
- Here is the Mediterranean meat sauce ready!
- Cook the short pasta in abundant salted water, drain it al dente.
- Season the pasta with the freshly prepared ragù and mix.
- In a separate small bowl mix together the eggs, milk and half of the grated cheese and add it to the pasta.
- We put the pasta in an ovenproof dish covering the top layer with the remaining grated cheese.
- Cook the pasta in a preheated oven at 200 ° C for 30 minutes, activating the grill function for 5 minutes before taking it out of the oven.
- Here is the baked pasta with Mediterranean ragù served on the table!
- Let it cool for about ten minutes before portioning it.
Recipe Notes:
- Baking Tips:
- Avoid overcooking the top.
- Adjust texture to family preference (loose or firm).
- Encase in pastry for Maltese Timpana.
-
Storage:
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating.
-
Serving:
- Serve with fresh Maltese bread and butter.
- Top with more Parmesan cheese.
- Pair with sparkling water, Maltese Lager, or Kinnie.
- Pasta: Striped rigatoni, elbow, or short pasta.
- Meat: Minced beef and pork, preferably a 1:1 ratio.
- Tomatoes: Canned crushed or pureed, not fresh.
- Tomato paste: For color and flavor.
- Peas: Fresh or frozen, optional.
- Milk: Whole or plant-based.
- Eggs: For binding and crusty top.
- Cheese: Grated Parmesan or similar.
- Spices: Mild curry (optional), salt, and pepper.
- Optional Additions:
- Boiled eggs
- Soffritto (carrots, onions, celery) or homemade stock.
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