Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp caster sugar
500 g beef mince
400 g tin of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
500 g rigatoni pasta
200 g feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup grated Kefalotyri cheese or Pecorino Romano
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp continental parsley, finely chopped
150 g butter, melted
375 g Antoniou Fillo Pastry
Recipe tips
Pie bundt pan
We used 26cm bundt tin for this Fillo Pastry recipe.
Before serving
Allow the Makaronopita to cool in the pan for 1 hour before turning out & serving.
Serving suggestion
Slice in individual portions and serve with a side salad and extra grated cheese if required.
Method
For this Filo Pastry recipe, take your fresh Filo Pastry out of the fridge at least 2 hours before use to bring it up to room temperature.
Preparing the pasta sauce
In a large pot heat the olive oil and add the onions, carrot and garlic. Sauté for 10 mins until softened, add the tomato paste and sugar and stir well. Cook for a few mins and add the minced beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon, to remove any lumps and allow the mixture to brown. Add the tomatoes, wine, spices and bay leaves. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and then set the temperature to medium and allow to cook and thicken for 45 mins. Once cooked, set aside and allow two cool.
Preheat your oven to 180 deg C.
Cook the rigatoni pasta until just under the “al dente” stage - approx. 9 mins. Once cooked, drain the pasta and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the meat sauce, feta, grated cheese, eggs and parsley. Using your hands mix well ensuring everything is incorporated. Set this aside while you prepare the fillo.
Assembling the Makaronopita
Brush a 26cm bundt pan with melted butter. Begin by placing 2 sheets of Filo Pastry on top of the bundt pan and poke a hole into fillo sheet where the centre tube of the bundt pan is. Push the fillo through to line the pan. Continue with this method adding the additional fillo sheets in a criss-cross manner until all the sheets are used. Add the pasta mixture to the bundt pan and ensure it is evenly spread. Then fold the overhanging fillo sheets back over the mixture, ensuring it's well covered and sealed.
Using a sharp knife, carefully make 10 holes in the torte and pour over the melted butter. (Some of the butter will seep through the holes and some will remain on top of the pita).
Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden and puffy.
Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul.
Watch how to make a Makaronopita