I just love this recipe, its the ultimate comfort food. It's a Bajan version of macaroni and cheese and you'll find it in all Barbados homes. It's traditionally made with straight macaroni but since I'm under quarantine at the moment, I just used the really macaroni that I had in the pantry.
It's best as a side to a main dish such as a stew, chicken, or fried fish but you can eat it on it's own as a meal also if you prefer. It's commonly served as Sunday dinner after church.
@nomlist Macaroni Pie from Barabados and Elegant Hotels ##fyp ##foryoupage ##macaroni ##pasta ##cookingtips ##happyathome ##macaroniandcheese ##tiktokcooking ##cooking
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Macaroni Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz macaroni If using straight macaroni, break into thirds
- 3 cups milk Optional: Infused with cloves and onions overnight
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 3.5 tbsp butter
- 3.5 tbsp flour
- 1/2 onion sauteed until soft
- 1/2 sweet peppers sauteed until soft
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
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2. In a large pot, add salted water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni to the pot. Cook until firm, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and drain excess water. Set aside.
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3. Dice and saute onions and peppers on a medium low heat
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4. Add butter to the pot on medium high heat and allow it to melt
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5. Whisk in flour while stirring vigorously. When mixture starts to bubble and thin, reduce to heat to low and cook for 2 minutes.
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6. Add milk gradually while consistently stirring vigorously. Slowly bring the pot to a boil. Once the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon, you now have a béchamel sauce (about 5 minutes).
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7. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
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8. Add the cheddar cheese in three batches, making sure that each batch is melted completely before adding the next one.
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9. Season as needed with salt and pepper.
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10. Add the onions and peppers into the cheese sauce.
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11. Fold in the macaroni. Mix well.
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12. Pour macaroni mixture into a greased baking dish.
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13. Top generously with grated cheese.
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14. Transfer to oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown
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15. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving
This recipe is a version of the recipe from the Taste Cookbook by The Elegant Hotels Group. The original recipe makes enough to serve 12, I cut down the menu so that it makes 6 servings instead.
First pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pot, add salted water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni to the pot. Cook until firm, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and drain excess water. Set aside.
While the macaroni is cooking, saute your onions and peppers on a medium low heat, until meltingly soft. Make sure to stir consistently. The recipe calls for sweet peppers but I just used the green peppers that I had on hand.
Add butter to the pot on medium high heat and allow it to melt. Whisk in flour while stirring vigorously. When mixture starts to bubble and thin, reduce to heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. When you smell a toasty, nutty aroma, you are done.
This mixture creates a white roux, which is the key component to give you that ooey gooey macaroni pie that you crave. It's actually light golden in color, not "white"
Add milk gradually while consistently stirring vigorously. Slowly bring the pot to a boil. Once the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon, you now have a béchamel sauce (about 5 minutes). You know that the sauce is finished if you run your finger across the spoon and the resulting line that is formed holds its form.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Now you are going to add the cheddar cheese, making your mornay sauce. Add the cheese in three batches, making sure that each batch is melted completely before adding the next one.
Season as needed with salt and pepper.
Add the onions and peppers into the cheese sauce.
Fold in the macaroni. Mix well.
Pour macaroni mixture into a greased baking dish
Top generously with cheese
Transfer to oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving
