Fırın makarnası (Cypriot pasta bake)

Fırın makarnası is a mouthwatering Cypriot baked pasta dish that brings everyone to the table and is traditionally made for family gatherings and celebrations. Every household makes it a little differently, but the heart of the recipe is always the same: neatly layered bucatini pasta, savoury minced meat, and a rich cheese and béchamel sauce.

We bring a touch of British influence to our fırın makarnası recipe by adding cheddar cheese to the sauce, which gives it a stronger flavour and perfectly complements the fresh, creamy notes of halloumi. Our sauce is also thicker than in some other recipes – but still creamy, with a golden, crispy top that’s simply irresistible.

The beef mince is seasoned with a fragrant blend of oregano, cumin, and cinnamon, with parsley and black pepper adding gentle warmth. Chestnut mushrooms bring a nutty depth and variation in texture, though you can leave them out if you prefer.

The Greek Cypriot version, makaronia tou fournou, is similar, with the main difference being the use of pork mince instead of beef, and it's usually cooked in a tomato-based sauce. In Greece, the dish is known as pastitsio.

The key ingredient is the tube pasta. We use bucatini, a thinner tube, though other variations use the thicker mezzani A. The choice is yours, but you may need to adjust cooking times and the size of your oven pan if you don't use bucatini. Bucatini pasta is sold as 'fırın makarna' in Turkish food stores and is what we buy.

Bucatini pasta, which is sold as 'fırın makarna' in Turkish food stores.

Patience is essential: letting the dish rest for 1 hour after baking allows the layers and creamy topping to set, making it easier to slice and serve. Also, it’s best to follow the steps in the order provided: start with the pasta, then make the sauce, and finish with the mince. This way, the pasta has time to cool a little and the sauce thickens nicely while it rests - making the whole dish much easier to layer up.

We enjoy fırın makarnası warm rather than piping hot. In our family, it’s always paired with kırmızı fasulye salatası (red bean salad), whose sweet, garlicky, lemony flavours complement the dish perfectly.

Serves 8 to 10 | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 2 hours | Additional time: 1 hour to set

Ingredients

For the pasta
500g fırın makarna (bucatini pasta)	Salt
Extra virgin olive oil	Sunflower oil
For the mince
500g minced beef	5 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium onion, chopped	200g chestnut mushrooms, each cut in half and then into 0.5cm thick slices
1 tsp dried oregano	½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground cinnamon	¼ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt, or as desired	50g parsley, chopped
For the sauce
1.5L milk	100g plain flour
2 large eggs	1 tbsp dried mint
½ tsp salt, or as desired	⅛ tsp cinnamon
150g medium cheddar cheese, thickly grated	200g halloumi, finely grated
Final preparation
Sunflower oil, for greasing	50g halloumi, finely grated
50ml single cream

Hob heat settings

Method

For the pasta:

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions with a little salt and olive oil. Drain in a colander, rinse briefly with cold water, and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, add a splash of sunflower oil and gently toss with tongs to coat the pasta evenly - this helps prevent it from sticking together.

   
   

For the sauce:

1. Add all the ingredients except the cheeses to a large saucepan. Whisk over a medium-high heat until the flour dissolves - about 1-2 minutes.

   
   

2. Add the cheeses and continue whisking until a creamy sauce forms that’s slightly thicker than double cream - about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes. The sauce will thicken to a custard-like consistency as it cools. 

For the mince:

1. Fry the beef in a pan without oil over a medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, until browned and its juices have evaporated (drain any excess if needed).

   
   

2. Add the sunflower oil and onions, and cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the spices and mushrooms, and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. Finally, add the parsley and fry for 3-5 minutes, until wilted and sweet.

Final preparation

Watch our step-by-step layering guide for fırın makarnası

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease a D5 × W30 × L40cm oven dish with a little sunflower oil, wiping it around with a kitchen paper towel.

   
   

2. Sprinkle a little grated halloumi into the oven dish.

   
   

   

   
   

3. Add half of the pasta, spreading it out evenly.

   
   

   

   
   

4. Add another sprinkling of grated halloumi.

   
   

   

   
   

5. Spread out all of the mince evenly.

   
   

   

   
   

6. Top with the remaining pasta and smooth out.

   
   

   

   
   

7. Ladle the sauce evenly over the pasta, then use a spoon to gently push the sauce in every 5cm or so, helping it seep between the pasta layers.

   
   

   

   
   

8. Finally, drizzle the cream evenly over the surface and finish with the remaining grated halloumi.

   
   

   

   
   

9. Cover loosely with foil (so that it doesn’t touch the creamy topping) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for a further 30-40 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.

   
   

10. Remove from the oven and allow the dish to stand for at least 1 hour before serving. This resting time helps the layers set and makes it easier to cut neat portions.