Trinidad Macaroni Pie – Gluten free
There are some dishes that are traditional in every household in Trinidad, and Macaroni Pie is one of those dishes. At least twice a month, we have a macaroni pie, with either baked chicken or stewed chicken and maybe some lentil peas or stewed red beans on the side.
When you can’t have gluten, a recipe such as this seems like a distant memory, but not anymore. We have a recipe that is gluten free, delicious and guaranteed to fill that Gluten Free Macaroni Pie craving.
What is Macaroni Pie?
Macaroni Pie is a West Indian staple, very similar to a baked Mac and cheese. It is traditionally made using ‘Macaroni’ pasta which is long strands of pasta with a hole in the center, also known as bucatini, that is mixed together with cheese, milk, & eggs then baked until golden on top.
How to make Gluten Free Macaroni Pie
When I was trying to find a way to make our Macaroni Pie gluten free the main problem was finding a pasta that was suitable to use instead of Macaroni or Bucatini. After multiple tries, we’ve found that Penne works the best. Easily found gluten free, it held its shape well and with the hole in the center our sauce was able to get in all those areas for a delicious Pie.
When it came to finding a cheese, we used New Zealand Cheddar which is easily found in Trinidad, but if you can’t find it, we’ve also tried it with a combination of Mozzarella and Aged cheddar with great results.
Why use Eggs?
Using eggs in this recipe helps to bind it together and gives the Macaroni Pie a little something extra. But if you can’t have eggs, not to worry, there have been times when I’ve left it out and the pie still came out great.
There have also been times when I’ve used Egg substitute with great results.
Unfortunately this dish is milk and cheese based, so that’s one area we can’t compromise on, but hopefully one day we’ll have a Vegan version to share!
Here’s the recipe, it pairs well with Baked Chicken & Callaloo or our Balsamic Slow Cooker Chicken Legs! Enjoy!
You May Also Like:
Trinidad Macaroni Pie (Gluten Free)
Enjoy this Gluten Free remake of the popular Trinidad Macaroni Pie side dish. Easy and delicious, this recipe is a treat for the whole family to enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 (12 oz) Package of Gluten Free Penne Pasta
- 2 tablespoons gluten free 1:1 flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups cheese, grated (plus extra to top pie)
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package directions. Once ready drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Then set pasta aside to cool.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and add gluten free our. Cook for a couple of seconds then add 2 cups of milk and whisk together with the our butter mixture until sauce begins to thicken. About 5-7 mins. You know the sauce is thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon.
- Once sauce is thickened, remove from heat, add 1 cup of grated cheese and whisk until all the cheese is melted. Add the garlic powder, onion powder and dried parsley. Check for salt, then aside and let cool, until sauce is warm to touch.
- To assemble the pie, in a large bowl add cooled pasta, cheese sauce and egg. Using a spoon or silicone spatula gently fold together the stir in 1/2 cup grated cheese.
- Add to a 10” square glass dish that has been greased. Gently press down to make sure it’s in an even layer, then top with more grated cheese.
- Bake in a 350° degree oven for 25 - 30 mins until golden. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
If you find the top is still plae after baking, simply broil unitl desired colour.
If you don;t have a square baking dish, a pie dish works well too!
