Bahamian Baked Macaroni and Cheese
A side dish, a serious one. Elbow macaroni cooked just tender, mixed with sharp cheddar, diced onion, sweet pepper and a pinch of goat pepper, bound with eggs whisked into evaporated milk with salt, pepper and paprika, packed into a buttered pan under more cheese, and baked at 180 °C until firm and browned. Rested fifteen minutes so it cuts into sturdy squares.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Serves
- 9 squares
- Difficulty
- Easy
Researched · Kitchen testing pending
In the Bahamas, macaroni and cheese is a side dish that arrives in a square, beside the peas n’ rice and the fried chicken or the steamed fish. It is bound with eggs and evaporated milk rather than a white sauce, seasoned with onion, sweet pepper and a careful pinch of goat pepper, and baked until it is firm enough to slice.
It is on the table at every Sunday dinner, every funeral repast and every holiday, and a good square is a point of family pride.
- 500 g1 lb 2 ozElbow macaroni
- 500 g1 lb 2 ozSharp cheddar, grated100 g kept back for the top
- 1 medium1 mediumOnion, finely diced
- 11Sweet pepper, finely diced
- ¼¼Goat pepper, seeded and minced very finecautious; it is a side dish, not a dare
- 33Eggs
- 500 ml2 cupsEvaporated milk
- 6 g1 tspFine salt
- 2 g½ tspBlack pepper
- 2 g1 tspPaprika
- 30 g2 TbspButter, for the pan and the top
Eggs, not a white sauce
Bahamian macaroni is a custard bake, not a béchamel one. The eggs and evaporated milk set around the pasta in the oven, which is what lets it be cut into squares and served on a plate beside the peas n' rice.
Sharp cheddar
The sharper the better; the eggs and milk soften everything. A mild cheese vanishes.
The five tastes on this plate
Salt is the cheese and a teaspoon more. Fat is cheddar, butter and milk. Acid is the sweet pepper's faint edge. Heat is goat pepper and paprika. Umami is aged cheddar and its browned crust.
Equipment
- Large pot, for the pasta
- Large bowl
- 23 cm square baking dish, buttered
- Instant-read thermometer
A metal or ceramic square dish gives the straight sides and browned corners; a round one works, with softer squares.
Method
Cook the macaroni10 min
Boil the macaroni in well-salted water until just tender, about a minute short of the packet time. Drain well and tip into the bowl.
Boil macaroni in well-salted water until just tender, about 1 minute less than the packet time. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Mix5 min
While still warm, mix in 400 g of the cheese, the onion, sweet pepper and goat pepper.
While the pasta is still warm, mix in 400 g grated cheddar along with the finely diced onion, sweet pepper and minced goat pepper.
Bind3 min
Whisk the eggs with the evaporated milk, salt, pepper and paprika. Pour over the pasta and fold until everything is coated.
Whisk eggs, evaporated milk, salt, black pepper and paprika together. Pour over the macaroni and fold until all the pasta is coated.
Pack and top3 min
Heat the oven to 180 °C. Pack the mixture firmly into the buttered dish, pressing it level. Scatter the remaining 100 g cheese over and dot with the butter.
Heat oven to 180 °C. Pack the mixture firmly and evenly into a buttered baking dish. Cover with the remaining 100 g cheddar and dot with butter.
Bake45 min
Bake 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and crusted, the edges are pulling away and the centre is set, 75 °C inside.
Bake at 180 °C for 40–45 minutes until browned and crusted on top, pulling away at the edges and set in the centre at 75 °C.
Rest and cut15 min
Rest at least 15 minutes, longer is better, then cut into 9 squares with a sharp knife.
Rest for at least 15 minutes, or longer for firmer slices. Use a sharp knife to cut the bake into 9 squares.
Sensory cues of doneness
- Visual: a deep gold, blistered crust; a square that holds its edges when lifted.
- Auditory: a faint sizzle at the edges of the dish in the last minutes.
- Olfactory: toasted cheese and sweet pepper.
Look for a blistered deep-golden crust and squares that hold their edges when lifted. Expect a faint edge sizzle near the end and aromas of toasted cheese and sweet pepper.
Storing it
Keeps 4 days refrigerated and cuts even better cold. Reheat squares in a 180 °C oven for 15 minutes to 74 °C. Freezes for 2 months, wrapped.
Troubleshooting
- It will not hold a square.
Cut too soon, or too little egg. Fifteen minutes' rest minimum; cold, it cuts like cake.
- Dry and rubbery.
Overbaked, or the pasta was cooked too far. Pull it at 75 °C and cook the macaroni a minute short.
- Pale top.
Low in the oven. Middle shelf, and a minute under the grill at the end.
Substitutions
One-to-one swaps, with the technique change each one needs.
Ingredient substitutions
| Ingredient | Replace with | Culinary impact and technique adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp cheddar | Half cheddar, half Gouda or Colby | Milder and creamier; keep the sharp for the top |
| Evaporated milk | Whole milk with 50 ml cream | Slightly less rich; bake 5 minutes longer |
| Goat pepper | A pinch of cayenne, or none | Loses the fruit note; the paprika still gives colour |
Scaling
Half
A 20 cm loaf pan, 35 minutes.
Double
A 23 by 33 cm dish, 55 minutes, and rest 20 minutes before cutting.
What to serve it with
- Peas n' rice and fried chicken, the Sunday trio
- Coleslaw or potato salad
- Hot pepper sauce
Questions
Why is it cut in squares?
Because it is served as a side on a plate, not spooned from a dish. The egg custard is what makes the squares possible.
Is it spicy?
Gently. A little goat pepper and paprika give warmth; the amount is each cook's decision.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Bake, cool, chill overnight, and reheat squares in the oven; it is arguably better.