Food blogger’s ‘life-changing’ pasta recipe has thousands drooling

A cook has left fans drooling with her ‘Persian pasta’ recipe – but her methods have angered some traditional foodies. Ayeh Manfre whipped up Makaroni, which is a Persian spaghetti recipe with a bolognese-style sauce that is cooked to create a crunchy bottom called ‘tahdig.’ The food blogger, who has just spent a year in Italy, said the dish ‘breaks all the Italian rules,’ angering many in the comments who were shocked she snapped her spaghetti in half before cooking it.

‘What’s better than Italian pasta?? Persian Spaghetti!! We call it Makaroni and yes it breaks all the Italian rules, but it’s so so good!!’ Ayeh said in an online clip. ‘Sorry to all my Italian friends’ she wrote before breaking a bunch of spaghetti in half and putting in a pot of boiling water to cook. 

The foodie, from Sydney, makes a bolognese sauce with mushroom, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, lentils, herbs and spices and tomato. After draining the pasta, Ayeh coats the bottom of the pot in a generous amount of olive oil in the bottom of the pot and a pinch of saffron powder. 

She adds a third of the pasta to the bottom on the pot then layers it with the sauce until there is no spaghetti left. Ayeh covers the pot lid with a clean tea towel and allows the pasta to cook on a low heat for 45 minutes. For the last five minutes she increases the heat to create a crunchy layer of pasta at the bottom. 

When serving Ayeh said to make sure to cut up the Tahdig or crispy base evenly so everyone gets a piece. ‘Even my Italian husband loves it. Especially the crunchy Tahdig on the top which is the best part,’ she said. ‘It’s usually made with a meat sauce but here I’ve made it with a vegan bolognese.’ 

Many viewers shared their outrage Ayeh had broken the pasta before cooking it up. ‘I’m not Italian but I never understand why people break the pasta,’ one woman said. ‘On behalf of all Italian people: no,’ joked another while a third said: ‘Uh. I felt that spaghetti crack in my heart.’

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