Sara Cole's Macarona Béchamel is an adaptation of her grandmother's Egyptian comfort food. From “When Southern Women Cook” from America’s Test Kitchen. (Steve Klise/America's Test Kitchen)

Macarona Béchamel

Serves 10 to 12.

This casserole is from chef Sarah Cole, owner and head chef of Abadir’s in Greensboro, Ala. It’s an adaptation of her Taeta’s (grandmother), Aunt Alice’s and mother’s Egyptian comfort recipes. If preferred, you can substitute bison or lamb for the beef. You can use cider vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar, if desired. Use a broiler-safe baking pan for this recipe. From “When Southern Women Cook,” by America’s Test Kitchen (ATK, 2024).

For the tomato-meat sauce:

3 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 large onions, chopped fine
1½ tsp. table salt, divided
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb. 90% lean ground beef
1 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. ground allspice
1 (28-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the béchamel:

¾ c. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. pepper
¾ tsp. table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
2¾ c. whole milk
3 large eggs
1 lb. penne

Directions

For the tomato-meat sauce: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and ¾ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until well browned, 7 to 10 minutes.

Stir in cumin, coriander, allspice and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until flavors have melded, about 20 minutes, scraping bottom of pot regularly. Stir in vinegar and cook for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool while making béchamel. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

For the béchamel: Whisk flour, oil, pepper and salt together in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until flour turns golden, 5 to 8 minutes.

Slowly whisk in milk until no lumps remain (mixture will be very thick). Remove from heat and let cool completely, about 45 minutes. Once béchamel is completely cooled, whisk in eggs until fully combined.

Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until just al dente. Drain pasta completely.

Combine tomato-meat sauce and pasta in now-empty pot. Stir in 1 cup béchamel. Transfer pasta mixture to a 9- by 13-inch broiler-proof baking pan. Smooth top with rubber spatula. Scoop remaining béchamel over top and spread using rubber spatula.

Transfer pan to oven and bake until top is puffed and starting to crack around edges, about 45 minutes. Heat broiler and broil until browned on top, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool, about 25 minutes. Cut into portions and serve.