Baked Pasta

Baked pasta is a traditional Maltese dish, its very similar to the Italian pasta al forno. I remember as a young girl my mother would tell me stories about her childhood, and how on a Sunday morning her mother would make the "Imqarrun fil- Forn" baked pasta and take it to the local bakery to be cooked in the wood fired oven.

This delicious recipe is simple to make and one sure to please the whole family.

INGREDIENTS

1 x 500gram packet macaroni
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup grated cheese
2 x 375gram tins crushed tomatoes
250 gram minced beef
1 onion finely chopped
3 eggs
salt and pepper
olive oil

METHOD

Fry chopped onions until golden brown then add minced meat, continue cooking until meat is cooked and brown.
Add tin tomatoes and tomato paste and and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water until almost cooked, when ready drain water and return pasta to pot.
Add the meat, sauce, cheese, eggs and seasoning to the pasta and mix all together.

Place the macaroni in an oven proof dish and bake in hot oven for 30-45 minutes on 220 degree Celsius.