This recipe gives the conventional baked mac and cheese a Caribbean flair. Macaroni Pie uses a few more flavours from your spice cabinet and is a classic comfort food in many kitchens.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Keyword: cheese, comfort food, pasta
Servings: 12people
Author: Monique Creary
Ingredients
450gramsdried macaroni(or another tube-shaped pasta)
2tspsalt(for boiling the pasta)
2tbspunsalted butter
1mediumonionfinely chopped
2clovesgarlicminced
1smallScotch Bonnet pepperminced
2cansevaporated milk(354mL each)
2largeeggs
1tbspDijon mustard
1/2tspsmoked paprika
1/2tspdried thyme
1/8tspground nutmeg
1/2tspsalt
1/2tspground black pepper
2cupsshredded cheddar cheesedivided
2cupsshredded mozzarella cheesedivided
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x16" baking tray. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook pasta until al dente (macaroni should be undercooked by 1-2 minutes--slightly tender, but firm).
Drain the macaroni, and rinse until cool water to halt the cooking process. Return to the same pot.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onion for 1-2 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and scotch bonnet pepper and continue to cook for an additional minute.
Pour the onion mixture into the pot of cooked macaroni, and stir to combine.
In a separate bowl or measuring jar, whisk together the milk, eggs, mustard, paprika, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour over the macaroni and stir until well-coated.
Sprinkle 3 cups of in the grated cheese (reserving 1 cup for the topping) until everything is incorporated.
Pour into the prepared baking dish. Top with the reserved 1 cup of shredded cheese and cook for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Video
Notes
If you find the macaroni pie browning too quickly, bake it loosely covered with foil, then remove the foil from the top 10 minutes before it's finished cooking.