Kıymalı garavolli makarna is a hearty and comforting Cypriot dish. Pronounced 'kiy-mah-luh gah-rah-voh-lee mah-kar-nah', the conchiglie pasta shells become filled with the rich and fragrant beef and tomato sauce, ensuring every bite is packed full of flavour.
Dried oregano and ground cumin provide earthy flavours that are perfectly balanced by the fresh chopped parsley. The ground cinnamon and chopped onions add sweetness which works well with the minced beef and nutty chestnut mushrooms. However, the key ingredient is the chopped garlic and you can add more if you like.
Garavolli means ‘snail’ in the Cypriot dialect, in reference to the conchiglie pasta used. You may use other types of pasta, but it wouldn't provide the same experience when eating.
It is a bit of an art to add just enough hot water to the sauce to boil the pasta without diluting the flavour, but we have provided a rough guide in this recipe.
Serving kıymalı garavolli makarna with grated halloumi and dried mint adds a wonderful creamy, fresh and savoury finish that lifts the dish. However, you need to bear this in mind before adding too much salt when preparing to boil the pasta, as there will be salt in the cheese too.
We recommend using a high quality brand of tinned chopped tomatoes, as this ensures a richer sauce when adding water to boil the pasta. Also, the amount of sunflower oil indicated is a recommendation and depends on how lean the minced beef is. Finally, the sauce can be frozen and used another day for a quick midweek meal.
Serves 4-5 | Preparation time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the pasta and sauce | |
500g minced beef | 1 medium onion, chopped |
200g chestnut mushrooms, each cut in half and then into 0.5cm thick slices | 400g tinned chopped tomatoes |
4 garlic cloves, chopped | 30g parsley, chopped |
1 ½ tbsp tomato paste | 1 tsp salt, plus extra if you need it |
1 tsp dried oregano | ½ tsp ground black pepper |
¼ tsp ground cinnamon | ¼ tsp ground cumin |
500ml hot water for the sauce, plus extra for making the pasta | 500g conchiglie pasta |
5 tbsp sunflower oil, or as desired | |
For serving | |
100g halloumi, finely grated | ½ to 1 tsp dried mint |
Hob heat settings
Method
Place a large saucepan on a medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, fry the minced beef without oil for 5-10 minutes, or until it has browned and the juices are absorbed (drain off any excess).
Add the sunflower oil before stirring in the chopped onions and garlic and fry for 5-10 minutes, or until softened.
Stir in the sliced mushrooms and fry for 5-10 minutes more or until they are softened, before adding the tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and salt. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down. You can use the back of a spoon to gently crush the tomato chunks for a smoother sauce.
Add the hot water and parsley and simmer while loosely covered for 20-30 minutes more or until a thick, rich sauce has developed. Stir occasionally to ensure the sauce doesn’t burn.
Stir in enough hot water to boil the pasta - about 250ml to 300ml per 100g of pasta is a rough guide (but this depends on the variety). You can add a little more salt if desired. Bring to a boil on a medium-high heat before adding the pasta and cook as per the pack instructions. Stir occasionally to ensure the flavours spread throughout the pasta.
Serve sprinkled with grated halloumi mixed with dried mint.