This creamy, bitter pasta is better than mac and cheese – and just as simple

The Macarona Bil Laban is a mac and Cheese Levantine cousin – a fridge, a brighter and warmer weather. It is popular in the kitchens of Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, a contrast study – textures, temperatures and flavors. The creamy, cool, bitter yogurt sauce has a rich, warm spicy, ground lamb (or beef), crispy pine seeds and a cheerful grassy herbs. It is clear and refreshing, essential, but not difficult, and it comes together in 30 minutes – this is the perfect dinner when you want something satisfying, slow cooking, braise or waiting.

Despite all its interesting layers, the Macarona Bil Laban (literally Arabic “dough yogurt”) is so easy to prepare that even my teenage gun used it when our parents worked late. He made us countless times – even after cutting his finger to the parsley and landing in the ER. We found the situation fun and looked through the stitches while the nurse gave us a strict warning about knife security. As we got home, we didn't go, we headed straight for the Macarona Bil Laban and finished the food together – this time our mother took over the parsley cut.

Maybe the simplest dough sauce – no need for heat

Yogurt sauce should not be simpler: smooth whole milk yogurt, garlic and salt mixed on a silky background. I add some fresh lemon juice to imitate the yogurt in Jordan where I grew up. The heat of the dough loosens yogurt proteins, turning it into a dip. But if the dough is too hot, the yogurt can be thinning too much, thus reducing the nose of the sauce. If the dough is cooled slightly before mixing with the yogurt, it keeps the texture with the perfect consistency – not too thick or too thin.

To select the dough

There is no difficult rule here about the shape of the dough – this is really a “use what is”. My Lebanese friends made Macarona Bil Laban almost exclusively with spaghetti, while in Jordan we have always had various short tubular shapes, such as Penne. Honestly, whatever it is in the chamber – though perhaps not Farfalle; The only way to bridge these spicy centers is to overburden the others. (I will slowly come on the angel hair, though… something. I glanced and overburized.)

Generously spiced layer of meat

The ground lamb (or beef) cooked with onions is repackaged with a deeply aromatic spice mixture that determines a lot of delicious food throughout the Levant area. You can find sweet, warm cinnamon (cut cutter in Levantine salty cooking), citrus cardamom, dark Allspice and sharp black pepper, each in olive oil until fragrant. Together, they create the signature warming flavor, which is contrary to the cool yogurt and pasta below. I rather use the lamb here for the more robust taste – this is the version we always made as an adult. But the use of beef is not inaudible if you receive it.

Layered, balanced and ready to eat

It takes only one minute to assemble all items. Discard the slightly cooled dough with yogurt sauce, spoon spoon the spicy meat on top and prepare it with toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley and mint – the mint that echoes the yogurt cooling effect. After a brief assembly, dig into the layers of delicious meat and creamy dough, crispy pine nuts and sprinkling fresh herbs.

This ordinary favorite comes together quickly and lives with tasty layers. While the dish is best consumed after it is ready (before the yogurt sauce has a chance to thicken and tighten in the fridge), it never prevented me from attacking the refrigerator the next day.

Cooking method
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