Creamy Trinidadian Macaroni Pie Casserole Recipe From the Caribbean by Donna John

Am I the only one who loves recipes from the Today Show? I discovered this macaroni pie on a video from that morning show. Trinidadian macaroni pie recipe is a spicy, firmer macaroni and cheese that gets its heat from a scotch bonnet pepper. The pasta dish not overly spicy, but will let you know it is in the room. The macaroni and cheese recipe is typically served casserole style.

To make this high-protein Trinidadian macaroni pie you will to gather a few ingredients. Here is your shopping list: pasta, butter, flour, milk, heavy cream, eggs, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, gruyere cheese, bacon, onion, green onions. a scotch bonnet pepper, garlic, paprika, ground mustard and breadcrumbs. (For a gluten-free casserole, use gluten-free pasta, gluten-free breadcrumbs and gluten-free flour. Omit the bacon for a vegetarian casserole.)

Don't be scared of the scotch bonnet! Cooking the pepper mellows it and brings out its natural fruitiness. The homemade bechamel sauce adds so much creaminess to this recipe. The creamy, cheesy dish is the perfect side dish with chicken, beef, lamb or pork. It could even stand on it's own for lunch or dinner with a salad on the side.

Fun Fact: Trinidad and Tobago is a dual-island Caribbean nation near Venezuela. Trinidad's capital is Port of Spain, and celebrates Creole cuisine and traditions. 

Cuisine: Trinidad 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound short pasta, cooked to al dente according to package directions (regular or gluten-free pasta)
• 10 tablespoons butter (divided)
• 1/4 cup flour (all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups grated gruyere cheese
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/2 an onion, diced fine
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeds and ribs removed and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free breadcrumbs)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Melt 8 tablespoons of butter in a large soup. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the milk and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. 
2. Beat the two eggs in a small bowl. Add some of the hot bechamel to the eggs to temper them, then put the eggs into the pot. Whisk to combine. (Don't skip the step of tempering the eggs or you could end up with scrambled eggs instead of a smooth bechamel sauce.)
3. Toss the cheddar, mozzarella and gruyere together in a bowl. Remove 1 cup and set aside for the topping. Add the remaining cheese to the bechamel and stir until melted and smooth. 
4. Heat another saucepot and cook the bacon until crisp. (You could omit the bacon for a vegetarian macaroni pie.) Add the onion, green onion and scotch bonnet pepper. Cook, stirring, about 4 minutes or until onions are soft. Add the garlic, paprika and ground mustard. Cook 30 seconds. (Be careful when working with hot peppers like scotch bonnets. You can wear gloves to keep the oils off your hands. Do not touch your eyes after handling hot peppers! Add even more heat by sprinkling the top with crushed red pepper flakes.)
5. Add the bacon and vegetables to the bechamel sauce and stir. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the cooked pasta. Pour the mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. (You can use any short pasta you like for this recipe. Elbows, rigatoni, penne, fusilli and rotini are good choices.)
6. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and mix it with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle it over the top and then sprinkle with the reserved 1 cup of cheese. 
7. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about 40 minutes. Let the macaroni pie rest for a few minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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