Lamb and halloumi pasta bake recipe
This comforting dish combines chunks of meat, pasta and cheese, and it's spiked with chilli.
Ingredients
- 450 g lean cut of lamb or beef
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for pasta
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2.5 tsp salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 x 400g/14oz tins of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh za’atar or oregano leaves (optional)
- 450 g bucatini pasta (or any pasta of choice suitable for baking, such as penne, fusilli, or ziti)
- 150 g halloumi cheese, grated
- 100 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated
- 15.9 oz lean cut of lamb or beef
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for pasta
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2.5 tsp salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 x 400g/14oz tins of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh za’atar or oregano leaves (optional)
- 15.9 oz bucatini pasta (or any pasta of choice suitable for baking, such as penne, fusilli, or ziti)
- 5.3 oz halloumi cheese, grated
- 3.5 oz low-moisture mozzarella, grated
- 15.9 oz lean cut of lamb or beef
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for pasta
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2.5 tsp salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 x 400g/14oz tins of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh za’atar or oregano leaves (optional)
- 15.9 oz bucatini pasta (or any pasta of choice suitable for baking, such as penne, fusilli, or ziti)
- 5.3 oz halloumi cheese, grated
- 3.5 oz low-moisture mozzarella, grated
Details
- Cuisine: Arab
- Recipe Type: Pasta
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 110 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Use a sharp knife to cut the meat into very thin bite-size pieces. This is easier if the meat has been partially frozen beforehand.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and chilli with ½ teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring periodically, until softened and starting to brown, 5–6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, another minute or two.
- Increase the heat to high and add the meat and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until any released water evaporates and the meat starts to brown, 6–8 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the flavours have melded, the meat is meltingly tender, and the sauce has darkened in colour, 40–50 minutes. Check on the sauce a few times as it simmers and if it appears to be thickening too much, add a couple splashes of water. You want the consistency to be slightly runny because the pasta will absorb some of the liquid as it bakes. Remove from the heat and add the za’atar or oregano leaves (if using), and set aside.
- As the sauce simmers, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to water and cook to al dente, generally 2 minutes less than on package instructions.
- Drain the pasta and transfer to a baking dish, adding a tablespoon of oil so it doesn’t clump up. Pour the meat and tomato sauce over the pasta and give it a very gentle toss.
- Top with the grated cheeses, cover, and bake until bubbling and cheese is melted, 30–40 minutes. Uncover the dish and broil until the cheese is crisp and browned to your liking, 5–6 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
This recipe is from The Arabesque Table by Reem Kassis. Published by Phaidon. Food photography by Dan Perez.
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