Ingredients
Pasta and Meat Topping
- 1 pound Short Pasta (Rotini, Shells, or Penne)
- 1 pound Ground Beef (85-90% lean)
- 1 medium Yellow Onion diced
- 3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2 teaspoons Sweet Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- to taste Salt and Pepper
Garlic-Yogurt Sauce
- 1.5 cups Plain Full-Fat Greek Yogurt
- 3 cloves Fresh Garlic minced
- to taste Salt
Spiced Butter Drizzle and Garnish
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 teaspoon Pul Biber (Turkish Chili Flakes)
- 1 teaspoon Dried Mint Essential for flavor
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Cherry Tomatoes for garnish
Equipment
Method
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Next, salt the water generously. Cook the pasta until it reaches al dente. Reserve a small amount of the starchy pasta water. Finally, drain the pasta immediately. Then, set it aside.
- Brown the Beef: Afterward, you prepare the spiced meat topping. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You do not need oil because the beef has fat. Break the meat up into fine pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess fat once the meat loses its pink color.
- Season the Beef: Now, add the diced onion, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to the browned beef. Cook this mixture for approximately 5–7 minutes. Continue until the beef browns deeply. The onion will look translucent. Let the spices "bloom" in the residual fat for maximum flavor.
- Make the Yogurt Sauce: Combine Greek yogurt, minced garlic, and salt in a bowl. Whisk the mixture until it becomes smooth and creamy. Optionally, you can add a splash of lemon juice for extra tanginess. Set this sauce aside and keep it cool.
- Prepare the Spiced Butter Drizzle: Last, prepare the spiced butter drizzle. Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the Turkish chili flakes (Pul Biber) and dried mint. Cook the mixture for one minute. Continue until it smells fragrant. Immediately remove the butter from the heat. Keep it warm until you assemble the dish.
- Layer the Pasta: Assemble the final dish in individual bowls. Divide the cooked pasta among the serving bowls. Spoon a generous layer of the cool garlic-yogurt sauce over the warm pasta.
- Add Toppings: Next, follow this layer with the warm, seasoned ground beef mixture. Thus, you efficiently layer the cool and warm components.
- Drizzle and Serve: Finally, you dramatically drizzle the hot spiced butter over the top of the beef. This drizzle should sizzle loudly. Garnish the finished dish with fresh parsley and tomatoes. Always serve immediately for the best taste.
Notes
Chef's Tip: Use only full-fat Greek yogurt to prevent the sauce from thinning or curdling when it hits the warm pasta and meat.
Reheating: It is best to reheat the meat topping separately in a skillet before assembling with fresh, cold yogurt sauce and hot pasta. Do not reheat the fully assembled dish.
Variation: Substitute the ground beef with ground lamb for a richer, more traditional flavor.
Reheating: It is best to reheat the meat topping separately in a skillet before assembling with fresh, cold yogurt sauce and hot pasta. Do not reheat the fully assembled dish.
Variation: Substitute the ground beef with ground lamb for a richer, more traditional flavor.
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