Trinidadian Macaroni Pie

Trinidadian Entree

MACARONI PIE

INGREDIENTS

1¼ pounds elbow macaroni
½ habanero pepper
1 mild chile pepper*
1 small onion
2 eggs
¾ pound grated cheddar cheese (about 3 cups, ¼ pound more later)
2¼ cups (20 ounces) evaporated milk
2 teaspoons ketchup
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon parsley
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
¼ pound grated cheddar cheese (about ¼ cup)

* = Such as, in ordered of increasing spiciness: Italian sweet pepper, pasilla bajio pepper, cherry pepper, banana pepper, Trinidad perfume pepper, pepperoncini, or cubanelle,

SPECIAL UTENSIL

9″ * 13″ casserole dish

Serves 8. Takes 1 hour 10 minutes.

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook elbow macaroni in large pot according to instructions on package. Drain. While macaroni cooks, mince habanero. (Do not touch minced habañero with hands. If you do so, please wash your hands thoroughly right away. ) Mince mild chile pepper and onion. Add eggs to small bowl. Beat eggs with whisk.

Add habanero, mild chile, onion, eggs, ¾ pound cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, ketchup, paprika, parsley, pepper, and salt to mixing bowl. Stir with fork until well blended. Pour contents of mixing bowl into pot with macaroni. Mix with long spoon until well blended. Grease casserole dish with butter. Ladle contents from mixing bowl into casserole dish. Sprinkle ¼ pound grated cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese turns golden brown.

TIDBITS

1) Nothing happened on this day in history. Everybody behaves themselves and stays at home on this date. It’s amazing.

– Paul De Lancey, The Comic Chef, Ph.D.

My cookbook, Following Good Food Around the World, with its 180 wonderful recipes, my newest novel, Do Lutheran Hunks Eat Mushrooms, a hilarious apocalyptic thriller, and all my other books, are available on amazon.com.