This dish was a hit. For the breadcrumbs I just threw 2 slices of whole grain bread in a chopper and made fresh crumbs. You can use Panko or other fancy crumbs if you like. You can also increase the amount of cheese if you want. I wish you a very pleasant weekend. Our day has started with SUN…..YES LOTS OF IT!
Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch pan or skillet. Add the ground beef. Cook over high heat for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink.
Add the paprika, chilli pepper, salt to taste and oregano
continue cooking until slightly brown. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep warm.
In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour
and cook gently for one-two minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and slowly add the milk to the roux, stirring constantly until all the milk is incorporated. Return the pot to the heat and cook, stirring throughout, until the sauce is thick, smooth and glossy (about 3-4 minutes). Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Stir in the cheddar cheese and continue stirring
until all the cheese is melted and the mixture is very smooth. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Add the drained pasta and the ground beef to the cheese sauce
and stir to combine.
Sprinkle the extra cheese on top of the pasta. Mix the breadcrumbs with parmesan, oregano and olive oil and sprinkle over the cheese.
Place under a hot broiler for 3-6 minutes or until the crumbs are toasted and crunchy and the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Serve immediately.
Macaroni and Cheese with Ground Beef
Preparation time: 15 minutes; Cooking time:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 600g (1.3 Ib) beef
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 400g (14oz) scoobi doo pasta or other short pasta
- 60g (4 tablespoons) butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups milk
- 2 cups grated mature Cheddar cheese or mixture of your favourite cheeses
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- You will need a pan or skillet that can be placed under the broiler/grill
Topping
- 1 cup grated cheese, extra
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs or panko breadcrumbs (shred 2 slices of bread in a food chopper) I used whole bread
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, extra
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra or two tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Boil pasta in plenty of salted water as per packet instructions until al-dente. Drain, set aside and keep warm.
- Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch pan or skillet. Add the ground beef. Cook over high heat for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Add the paprika, chilli pepper and oregano, and continue cooking until slightly brown. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep warm.
- In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook gently for one to two minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and slowly add the milk to the roux, stirring constantly until all the milk is incorporated. Return the pot to the heat and cook, stirring throughout, until the sauce is thick, smooth and glossy (about 3-4 minutes). Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Stir in the 2 cups cheddar cheese and continue stirring until all the cheese is melted and the mixture is very smooth. Check seasoning.
- Add the drained pasta and the ground beef to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Sprinkle the extra cheese on top of the pasta.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with parmesan, oregano and olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle over the cheese. Place under a hot broiler/grill for 3-6 minutes or until the crumbs are toasted and crunchy and the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Serve immediately.
- Last Updated: November 1 2017
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Impossible to resist a recipe with scoobi doo pasta in it!
Rain is better than snow 😦
I totally agree with you. Rain is a hundred times better than snow for sure. Have a great week!
Liz
Interesting combination Liz. I have never tried mac and cheese with hamburger. Would certainly be an easy meal to put together. You have such great ideas! You always seem to have a fun and interesting twist that sparks my interest! Enjoying some morning sunshine here but the weather man is about to get fired….he said more rain to come tomorrow! How are things in your neighborhood?
My son really loved it. He keeps on talking about it. I told him to learn how to make it so he can eat it whenever he wants. I’m making nachos for dinner tonight. I shall be watching the NBA playoffs and gobbling up a huge plate of extra, extra cheesy nachos. I shall post it next week. Oh yes the rain is looming, even here. What a spoiler after such a long span of good weather. Enjoy your weekend and take care!
Liz