Upside-Down Persian Macaroni With The Crunchy Bottom Layer (Tah-Dig)

In one of my earlier posts, I wrote about Persian macaroni. This is a revisit, with a special focus on making the ته دیگ ماکارونی (macaroni tahdig), that golden crust at the bottom of the pan. It's where the noodles meet the hot oil with a pinch of turmeric and transform into a flavorful and golden crunchy layer.

A good tahdig is crispy but not burned, crunchy but not hard. Those familiar with Persian food know that tahdig is one of the most sought-after parts of any rice dish. Personally, I often prefer the flavorful tahdig to the fluffy, aromatic rice itself!  

Noodles, too, make a delicious tahdig when used in pasta dishes. And if your tahdig turns out a bit harder than you expected, simply spoon a bit of sauce over it and spread it to soften before taking the first bite. Here's a link to my other tahdig recipe: The Art of Making Persian Tah-Dig.

For a family of six kids, simple, easy Persian-style macaroni and pasta with ground meat and tomato sauce always had a place on our dinner table while growing up. It was one of my favorite dishes then, and now I enjoy making it for my family. Back home, my mother always cooked pasta with the hollow spaghetti noodles (bucatini). I loved those hollow noodles, and I've looked for them many times while grocery shopping here, but they are hard to find. It seems that they aren't as popular as the other kinds of noodle varieties in most stores. 

Macaroni Tah Dig - Upside-Down Persian Macaroni with the Crunchy Bottom Layer

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

-1 pound ground beef
-1 pound spaghetti 
-1 large onion, finely chopped
-1 large tomato, peeled and diced
-2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-1 can (16 oz) tomato sauce 
-1/3 teaspoon turmeric
-2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil

Method:

1. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and sauté until translucent. Stir in the garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add the turmeric, and continue cooking for another minute before adding the ground beef. Break the beef into tiny pieces with a fork and brown evenly. Scoop out any excess fat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions, but drain 2-3 minutes before they become al dente (it will finish cooking later with the sauce).
3. In a non-stick heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add a pinch of turmeric and swirl to evenly coat the bottom of the pot. Add a layer of the noodles, then a layer of the meat sauce, continuing to layer until all are used up, finishing with a layer of noodles. Place a clean, soft kitchen towel over the pot and secure the lid. Cook on medium-low heat for about 45-50 minutes. 
4. To serve, place a large serving platter over the pot. Using a kitchen towel, hold on to the sides of the pot and carefully invert the pot so the macaroni releases onto the platter. Cut it as you would a cake, or spoon noodles and the sauce mixture onto a platter and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Gently remove the crust and serve it on the side or on top.

Enjoy!