Makaroni (Persian Spaghetti)

Makaroni also known as Persian Spaghetti, has been one of my favorite dishes since childhood. Made with a rich tomato sauce layered with pasta then flipped to reveal golden crispy Tahdig!

📝 Ingredients

• 13 oz / 360g spaghetti pasta
• 13 oz / 360g mushrooms - I used a mix of portobello and cremini mushrooms
• 2 small carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 white onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 cup concentrated tomato paste
• 1/2 cup passata
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cooked or canned lentils
• 1/2 teaspoon advieh (Persian spice) or 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon *optional ground saffron
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Vegan Bolognese Sauce ---
2. 2Chop mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion and garlic into small cubes
3. 3Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and add the mushrooms. Sauté over high heat and once browned, season with salt and pepper and remove from the pan for now(If not vegan/vegetarian, swap mushrooms for ground meat)
4. 4In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil along with the chopped onion, celery and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and sauté over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent
5. 5Add the garlic along with turmeric and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the tomato paste with another tablespoon of oil. Fry these down well for about 5 minutes to develop a rich dark color
6. 6Add the passata, 2 cups of water, oregano and advieh if using (another alternative is to add ¼ teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg)Then add back the cooked mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes over low-medium heat
7. 7Next add the lentils and simmer for 15 minutes (note if the sauce has thickened too much, you can add more water if necessary). Ensure to also taste for seasoningMore detailed information is also on my vegan bolognese recipe
8. 8--- Pasta ---
9. 9When the lentils are added to the sauce, it's time to cook the pasta. Break the spaghetti in half and boil in a non-stick pot in heavily salted water, cook until al dente
10. 10Drain through a colander and rinse under water
11. 11--- Layer and Cook ---
12. 12Add 1 ½ tablespoons of oil to the same pasta cooking pot - ensure the pot is non-stickIf using, add ¼ teaspoon of ground saffron powder and mix into the oil which should be warm from the pot
13. 13Add a layer of cooked pasta (about 1/3 of the pasta) to the bottom of the pot and press down slightly so it’s an even layerThen spoon 2-3 ladles of the bolognese sauce evenly over the pasta
14. 14Add another layer of pasta topped with more sauce, and continue repeating these steps until there is no more pasta left. The top should finish with a layer of sauce
15. 15Wrap the lid of the pot with a clean kitchen towel and cover. Simmer on the lowest heat for 45 minutes
16. 16For the final 3-5 minutes, increase the heat to medium to create the crispy baseRemove the lid and place a large dish or serving platter on the pot and carefully flip the pot upside down. Then slowly lift the pot to reveal your beautiful crispy tahdig!
17. 17Cut out pieces of the tahdig (crispy base) to share evenly, then serve and enjoy your Persian style Makaroni!