Macaroni taybeen

Macaroni taybeen means "good old Macaroni" in English. This dish is mostly available from street sellers or through visiting residents at their homes. It's created with Macaroni pasta, minced beef, tomato paste, and a vegetable mixture that commonly contains peas, carrots, and potatoes, as well as a dash of dill and dried coriander. Bechamel or cheese sauce is sometimes added to the macaroni meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided, big pinch of salt, 3 heaped tbsp tomato paste, divided 2 oz or 70 g, 1 pack elbow macaroni 14 oz or, 400 g (you might not use it all, see notes), 1 onion, very finely diced, 1 zucchini, finely diced, 1 carrot, finely diced, 4-5 garlic cloves, minced, 250 g ground beef, 1 tsp seven spices, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp paprika powder, 1/4 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp salt, 1 can crushed, tomatoes 14.5oz (400g)

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil, add 1 tbsp olive oil and the salt, one tbsp of tomato paste, then the pack of pasta. Cook until al dente, then drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water. Set cooked pasta aside.
• In a large skillet, heat the remaining tbsp of olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the diced zucchini and carrots, and garlic and cook for a further 4-5 minutes until softened slightly.
• Add the ground beef, and cook, smushing with a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Keep cooking until the beef is browned and cooked through, then optionally, drain the fat.
• Add in the salt, pepper, and all the spices. Cook for another minute or so. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of tomato paste, and stir.
• Add the can of crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then add a big ladleful of the reserved pasta water and simmer for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
• Add the pasta to the sauce (I don't always add all the pasta, maybe 3/4 of the cooked amount until the finished dish is as saucy as I like). Stir to coat, cook for another minute or so until the pasta is warmed through, then enjoy!