Meliz Berg's Cypriot pasta bake (magarina firinda) - delicious. magazine

Ingredients

• For the béchamel
• 100g unsalted butter
• 100g plain flour
• 1.2 litres whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 150g halloumi, finely grated
• ½ tsp coarse black pepper
• 2 tbsp dried mint
• 4 medium free-range eggs
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• For the pasta
• 2 tbsp sea salt
• 500g long tubular pasta (we used bucatini, but Mezzani A or ziti work too – see Meliz’s know-how)
• 1 tsp dried mint
• For the filling
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 750g beef mince
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 50g flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
• Specialist kit
• 34cm x 24cm deep roasting tray or dish