Berburger Pasta Recipe

You occasionally have the energy to make a bonafide feast from scratch. But most nights, you don’t. That doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice flavor for convenience though, and the berburger pasta recipe from Kiano Moju’s new cookbook, AfriCali , is proof.

“Hamburger Helper felt a step above boxed mac and cheese because I got to brown the beef before seasoning it with the mystery spice packet,” Moju writes. “Though I haven’t touched a box since I got full rein over the kitchen, the concept of a cheeseburger -inspired pasta still sounds delicious! I first made this using leftover Ethiopian takeout, and the fusion instantly brought together two very nostalgic flavors.”

The leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat them, place the pasta in a pot on the stove with a splash of milk to turn the sauce creamy again.

^{Excerpted from AfriCali . Copyright © 2024, Kiano Moju. Photography Copyright © 2023 by Kristin Teig. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC. All rights reserved.}

Pili Pili Eggs

958 calories

56g fat

55g carbs

52g protein

8g sugars

Garlic Ginger Paste (makes ⅓ cup)

⅓ pound whole, fresh ginger

⅓ pound garlic (about 30 cloves)

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Pasta

Fine sea salt

1 medium onion

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic ginger paste

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons berbere spice

1 pound 85/15 ground beef

½ pound short pasta, such as fusilli

3 tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon chickpea flour (optional)

1 cup whole milk

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Make the Garlic Ginger Paste: Leaving the skin on, chop the ginger into ½-inch pieces.

2. In a food processor, pulse the chopped ginger, garlic and salt until smooth. Store the paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to three months.

3. Make the Pasta: Fill a large pot halfway with water and salt it generously. Set it over high heat and bring to a boil.

4. Finely dice the onion. Set a braising pan over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add a splash of olive oil to the pan, then add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic ginger paste, cumin seeds and berbere spice and cook, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

5. Add the beef and break it into small pieces using the wooden spoon. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue to cook the beef, stirring occasionally, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes.

6. While the beef is cooking, cook the pasta in the salted boiling water according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

7. Once the beef is browned, stir in the tomato paste and cook it until it turns a darker red, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, pour in the wine and use the wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

8. Sprinkle in the chickpea flour, if using, and stir well to ensure there are no clumps. Stir in the milk and the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Once the cheeses have partially melted, fold in the cooked pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add small splashes of the reserved pasta water.