Mac and cheese or macaroni pie as it is known in the
Caribbean is a regular feature on most Sunday lunch/dinner tables in the
region. It was not a regular for me growing up and still isn’t today. Don’t get
me wrong, I love me a good serving of macaroni pie but it is jam packed with
calories and not everyone makes it well. When I do indulge in macaroni pie it
is from someone that I know makes it well or I sample it first to see if it
meets my standards (ooohh I hope I am not offending anyone).
There are many variations of making this dish. My mother’s pie
always included onions, and she is known for adding some type of cured meat
such as bacon and tomatoes. I keep mine simple and load it up with lots of
cheese. I have been experimenting with different types of cheeses and really
enjoy the combination of cheddar, mozzarella and Monterey jack cheeses. Here
goes:
Ingredients
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ tablespoons flour
2 cup whole milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 ½ cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
¾ cup cheddar cut into small cubes
2 teaspoons mustard
Salt to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil and cook
macaroni per instructions on box. Set aside.
In a separate pot, melt butter
Add flour to the melted butter and stir continuously
Add milk and mustard and stir until the butter and flour
mixture has dissolved
Add salt and pepper to taste
Reduce the heat and continue to stir until the sauce
thickens
Once the sauce has thickened, remove from heat and add 3
cups of cheese and stir until the cheese melts
Add drained macaroni to sauce mixture and mix
Transfer the mixture to an oven safe dish or individual dishes. Take the cubed
cheddar pieces and insert them throughout into the macaroni and cheese mixture.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for 30 – 40 minutes.
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