Macaroni Pie

If you grew up in a Trinidadian home, then you're familiar with macaroni pie. If not, and you're a lover of mac and cheese, this is a recipe you definitely have to try.

Ingredients

• 3 - 7 or 8 oz bars/packages of sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese*
• 1 - 16 oz package of elbows pasta **
• 2 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 1 - 12 oz can of evaporated milk

* You can use the bar of cheese or packets of shredded cheese.

** You can also use penne, cellentani, or any other kind of pasta that's around that size.

How To

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Cook the pasta according to the packaging. Drain, place back into your pot, and set aside.
3. Add the entire can of evaporated milk and two heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise to your blender, and blend well.
4. If using a block of cheese, break 2 bars of cheese into pieces small enough to fit into your blender and shred the third package. If you're using shredded chese, ignore this step.
5. Add one bar/package (7 to 8 ounces) of cheese to the blender (and the milk/mayo mix) and blend until smooth.
6. Add a second bar/package (7 to 8 ounces) of cheese to the blender and blend until smooth._[1]
7. Pour the contents of your blender over the cooked and drained pasta._[2] Using a spoon, mix well. (At this point, you can stop here and serve it as regular - but tasty - mac and cheese._[3])
8. Transfer the macaroni and cheese mix into a oven-safe dish. _[4]
9. Cover the top with shredded cheese. _[5]
10. Bake in the oven (uncovered) for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top layer of cheese is melted and slightly browned.
11. Remove from the oven and let cook before serving.

Tips

• If you start to make the cheese/milk/mayo blend after putting the pasta to boil, your pasta should be done right as you've finished making the blend. Once the pasta is cooked, drained, and returned to the pot, immediately add the cheese blend. The heat from the pasta will melt the cheese blend and it'll more evenly and easily coat the pasta.
• When blending the cheese/milk/mayo, feel free to add spices like Adobo, paprika, and parsley (about a 1/2 teaspoon each). It adds a little more flavor to your dish and brings out the sharpness of the cheese.
• If you're not a big fan of mayo, don't worry. You can't taste it. It just enhances the flavor of the cheese and helps to bind the macaronie pie.
• For this recipe, a 3 quart (9 inch by 13 inch) baking dish is ideal. If you use anything smaller, you may have to split among a couple of dishes.
• Before adding shredded cheese to the top, definitely scoop a small bowlful out and try the mac and cheese on its own. It's delicious!

_{* Written and submitted for Mibba's Culture Month Challenge.
Also check out the Peanut Punch recipe!}

Enjoy!