Makaronia with Minced Meat and Halloumi
I am passionate about cooking - I have always been pursuing happiness through good food, fine wine, my dogs, and of course, with my family and friends!
Being raised in a home where good home cooking was shared with friends and family almost every other day, it was not difficult at all to embrace the concept of “you live to eat”.
Makaronia with Minced Meat and Halloumi
Ingredients
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500 g Thick Spaghetti
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500 g Minced Beef, chuck
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100 g Pissourkotiko Grated Halloumi & Anari, Charalambides Christis
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1 Onion, finely chopped
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2 Cloves Garlic, finely minced
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50 g Unsalted Butter
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50 ml EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
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400 ml Chopped Tomatoes, canned
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2 tbsp Tomato Paste
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150 ml Red Wine
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350 ml Chicken Stock
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¼ tsp Bay Leaves, ground
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½ tsp Allspice, ground
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Small Pinch Clove, ground
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3 tbsp fresh Parsley, leaves picked finely chopped
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3 litres of Water
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1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
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½ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
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Place a large pot over medium heat, pour in the oil, and add the butter. Once melted, add the onions and sauté for 5’. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or so.
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Toss in the minced meat, smashing the meat with a wooden spoon, until all the meat has been sautéed and a nice color has been achieved. Add the tomato paste in the center of the pot and cook for a minute. Mix well and deglaze with the wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
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Add the chopped tomatoes, pour in the chicken stock, and season with the herbs and spices as well as with the salt and pepper. Mix well, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30’ with the pot partly covered, while stirring every now and then. You want the sauce reduced and thick but still a bit juicy. 2’ before the end, add the parsley and mix well. Remove from the heat and keep aside.
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In the meantime, in a large pot, bring the water to a boil on high heat, adding a generous amount of salt. Add the pasta, stirring occasionally so as not to stick and cook according to suggested time on the box of the pasta less 2’. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water.
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Strain the pasta and return to the pot with the meat and the sauce. Add about 75g of the grated halloumi and anari and toss well so the pasta absorbs the sauce. Add from the reserved water if the consistency is on the thick side.
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Add the remaining grated halloumi and anari on top and serve.
