Chef notes
Macaroni pie is a Trinidadian spicy macaroni and cheese that is baked and served casserole-style. It's slightly firmer and studded with onions, garlic and Scotch bonnet pepper. Traditionally, this pie uses full-on spaghetti, but use whatever pasta you would use for your mac. Elbows work, and rigatoni and penne are fantastic because the centers fill with the luscious sauce. Scotch bonnet is also traditional, so don't be scared: The heat truly mellows with all of the cream, allowing the fruitiness of the pepper to shine through.
Although the firmer version calls for just eggs and milk, taking the extra step and making a béchamel that is set with eggs takes this dish to another level. It ups that creaminess factor but the pie stays intact and can be cut into and served in portions. What's also wonderful about this recipe is that it can be assembled ahead of time if you are going over to someone's house or are prepping for the holidays. Creamy, cheesy, crunchy with a bit of a kick, it's the perfect side dish.
Technique tip: To temper eggs means to bring them up to a higher temperature slowly to keep the eggs stable (and not scrambled!). Doing this allows the eggs to be used to thicken a liquid or set a casserole. Although tempering eggs may seem scary at first, the key is to take it slow, adding the hot liquid to the room temperature eggs a little bit at a time.
Swap option: There are a lot of swap options for this recipe. Shallots or red onions may be used in lieu of yellow onions; leeks or chives instead of green onions; and the choice of cheeses is all yours — just make sure to include some melty ones (think fontina or taleggio).
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Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, such as elbows, rigatoni or penne
- 1 stick + 2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 2 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and ribbed, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- nonstick cooking spray
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350 F.
2.In a large pot of boiling, heavily salted water, cook the pasta per the box's instructions to al dente. Drain and reserve.
3.While the pasta is cooking, in a separate, large pot, melt 1 stick of butter to start your béchamel. Add the flour all at once and whisk vigorously to avoid lumps. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. You just want to remove the raw taste. Add the milk and cream, and continue to whisk to prevent lumps (remember to get the corners!). Once the mixture starts to bubble, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, whisking often. You want this to simmer gently while it's thickening. Remove from heat.
4.Temper the eggs with the béchamel by ladling a bit of béchamel into the beaten eggs and whisking continuously. Continue adding ladlefuls and whisking until the eggs have been brought up to temperature. Add the eggs back into the béchamel and whisk to combine.
5.Combine all of the cheeses, reserving 1 cup to put on top. Add the 5 cups of cheese to the béchamel and whisk to melt.
6.In a separate sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until brown. It should render out fat, but if it's not particularly fatty, add 1 tablespoon of butter to help move it around the pan. Add in the yellow and green onions and the Scotch bonnet pepper, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and ground spices, and cook for 30 seconds or so, until fragrant.
7.Transfer cooked bacon and vegetables to the béchamel using a slotted spoon to avoid adding any additional fat to your sauce. Taste and season at this point. Add in the thyme and the cooked pasta.
8.Spray a 9- by 13-inch or 3-quart pan with cooking spray and transfer the macaroni and cheese into it.
9.Melt the other 2 tablespoons of butter and combine with the breadcrumbs and 1 cup of reserved, shredded cheese. Season this mixture and then sprinkle all over the top of the macaroni.
10.Bake for 35 minutes. If you want the top a little darker, feel free to broil for a minute or two. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
