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Mac-and-cheese, Trini-style

by Karen Walrond (Subscribe to Karen Walrond's posts)
Mar 11th 2006 10:02AM

10Comments

Filed under: Nutrition: Health

Having lived in countries all over the world, there's one thing I've learned:  every kid likes some sort of macaroni product covered in some sort of cheese.  It's a scientific fact.  I have this theory that there's a yet-undiscovered hormone (or lack thereof) that exists in children prior to reaching puberty that makes them unnaturally drawn to the combination of pasta with a dairy product.  I can't prove it, but I know I'm right.

Children in Trinidad are no different, and here, this particular dish comes in the form of macaroni pie.  I thought I'd share with you a slightly-doctored recipe of my mother's version here:  traditional macaroni pie doesn't usually include corn, but I find it adds a really nice touch, and I've never heard a Trini complain about the addition.  Besides, it's a good way to get a serving of vegetables down 'em, and the good news is that it's quick and dead-easy to make.  So perhaps the next time you're in the mood for a bit of comfort food, you might consider giving Kraft® a break, and try this recipe out:
What you'll need:

- About 12 oz. macaroni (In Trinidad, the macaroni, while hollow, is long, like spaghetti. In theory, real macaroni pie uses this kind, but I was never able to find it in the United States. I found that other types of macaroni, like elbow macaroni, worked just as well.)
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes (I use this to add to the water in which I boil the macaroni. I think it just adds a nice flavour.)
- 1 14 oz. can cream-style corn
- Grated cheese -- lots of it! (I use New Zealand white cheddar, mainly because it's the most commonly found cheese here in Trinidad. Outside of Trinidad, however, a medium or mild cheddar works fine. As for the quantity -- seriously, you can't over-cheese this recipe. I'd start with something like 3 cups, and adjust as you see fit.)
- 1/2 large onion, grated
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup of milk
- Tony Chachare’s Creole Seasoning (My personal secret ingredient.  If this is unavailable where you live, just use salt and black pepper, to taste)
- Bread crumbs
- Butter

What you'll do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

2. Boil macaroni until quite soft, adding the bouillon cube to the water.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs well.

4. Into the mixing bowl, add the drained, cooked macaroni, the grated onion, almost all the grated cheese (reserving about 1/4 cup of the cheese for the topping), the milk, and the seasoning to the eggs. Mix well.

5. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish (I used a 3-quart Pyrex dish). Top with remaining cheese, breadcrumbs, and dot with butter.

6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until nice and bubbly.

Serve hot, and with whatever you'd normally eat mac-and-cheese with!

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