Finnish Macaroni and Beef Bake

Method

1. 1
   • macaroni 250 g

   Undercook the macaroni — Boil the macaroni in well-salted water for two minutes less than the packet says — it finishes cooking in the custard and will go slack if you take it all the way now. Drain and set aside.

   ⏱7 min
2. 2
   • ground beef 400 g
   • onion 1
   • butter 30 g
   • ground allspice 1 tsp
   • salt 1½ tsp
   • black pepper ½ tsp

   Brown the beef and onion — Melt half the butter in a frying pan and soften the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the beef, break it up and fry hard for 8-10 minutes, until the water has cooked off and the meat has properly caught and browned. Season with the allspice, 1 tsp of the salt and the pepper.

3. 3
   • macaroni 250 g
   • ground beef 400 g
   • butter 30 g

   Combine in the baking dish — Heat the oven to 200°C and grease a 2 litre baking dish with the rest of the butter. Fold the macaroni and the beef together in the dish and level the surface.

4. 4
   • salt 1½ tsp
   • egg 3
   • milk 6 dl
   • breadcrumbs 3 tbsp

   Pour over the egg custard — Whisk the eggs, milk and remaining salt into a thin custard and pour it evenly over — it should rise almost level with the pasta. Scatter the breadcrumbs across the top.

5. 5

   Bake until just set — Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the custard has set with only a faint wobble at the centre, the top is deep gold and the edges are bubbling.

   ⏱45 min
6. 6

   Rest before cutting — Rest the dish for 10 minutes before cutting so the custard firms and the squares hold their shape. Finns eat it with ketchup, and they are right.

   ⏱10 min