Pasta-Meat Casserole with Zucchini

Ingredients

• 300 g macaroni
• Salt
• 1 Carrot
• 2 shallots
• 1 Garlic clove
• 2 Zucchini
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp butter
• 250 ml milk
• 3 egg yolks
• pepper (ground)
• nutmeg
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 500 g mixed ground meat
• 700 g peeled tomatoes (canned)
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 200 g pickled red pepper strips (jar)
• 150 g grated cheese
• oregano (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside. Peel and finely dice the carrot, shallots, and garlic. Wash the zucchini and slice into thin rounds. Melt butter with flour over medium heat, whisking to form a roux; gradually add milk, stirring for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then fold in egg yolks. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

2. 2.

   Briefly sauté the zucchini in about 3 tbsp oil, then remove. In the same pan, add 2 tbsp oil and brown the ground meat until crumbly. Add the diced vegetables, cook briefly, pour in tomatoes, and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Simmer over medium heat for 20–25 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (Oven + fan).

3. 3.

   Layer the meat sauce, pasta, zucchini, and red peppers in a greased baking dish. Finish with a top layer of pasta, pour the béchamel over it, arrange a few zucchini slices on top, sprinkle grated cheese, and bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown. Remove, cut into portions, and serve sprinkled with oregano flakes.