Beef and Bucatini Casserole
You can try this hearty comfort food alone or you can happily enjoy it with your family. Either way, take our advice and try this casserole and you won’t regret it. The crispy-textured topping, the meaty ground beef, and the creamy bucatini pasta; they pair together like a charm.
Ingredients Needed for Beef and Bucatini Casserole
For the pasta:
salt
water
1 pound bucatini pasta
For the beef mixture:
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon allspice
½ tablespoon cinnamon
1 bay leaf
½ cup white wine
1 pound ground beef
salt
pepper
⅔ cup canned tomatoes
½ cup tomato sauce
For the bechamel sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
⅓ cup flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon nutmeg
salt
pepper
For the casserole:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
How to Cook Beef and Bucatini Casserole
- For the pasta:
Fill a medium pot halfway with water. Bring it to a boil and then take it down to a simmer. Salt the water and add the pasta. Cook it according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.
- For the beef mixture:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and onion. Stir and cook until tender. Add the oregano, allspice, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Stir.
- Add the white wine and ground beef. Break it into smaller pieces using a wooden spatula.
- Season with salt and pepper, add the remaining vegetable oil and cook until the meat is browned. Remove the bay leaf.
- Add the canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes more, and remove from heat. Set aside.
- For the bechamel sauce:
Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Add the flour and stir.
- Start adding the milk while stirring. Keep adding the milk and stir until even. Add the nutmeg, season with salt and pepper, stir a little, then remove from heat.
- For the casserole:
Drizzle a 10 x 5 x 2 inch (24 x 13 x 5 cm) baking dish with vegetable oil and add 1/2 of the cooked pasta. Distribute evenly so it forms a layer.
- Add the beef mixture over it, layer the remaining pasta, and top with the bechamel. Bake for 60 minutes at 325⁰F/165⁰C.