Trini-Style Macaroni Pie

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350? F.

2. 2

   Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil, and, when hot, add onion and pepper. You want the onions to be pretty finely diced, so they will spread easily throughout the dish and cook quickly. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or so until fragrant. Remove from heat and cool in a bowl.

3. 3

   In a saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour all at once and whisk vigorously to avoid lumps. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. You just want to remove the raw taste. Add milk and spices and continue to whisk to prevent lumps (remember to get the corners!). Once the mixture starts to bubble, reduce heat to low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes whisking often. You want this to simmer gently while it's thickening. Remove from heat.

4. 4

   To the onion mixture in the bowl, add 2 cups of the grated cheese as well as the eggs. Add a ladle full of the bechamel (milk mixture) and stir. Continue to add ladlefuls until the egg mixture is up to temperature with the bechamel. Add everything back to the bechamel in the saute pan and stir to combine thoroughly and insure cheese is completely melted.

5. 5

   Add pasta to boiling, heavily salted water and cook until it's a bit underdone. It depends on what type of pasta you are using. I used penne and cooked it for about 9 or 10 minutes. It's going to continue cooking in the oven. Drain pasta and add to the bechamel/cheese mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of the chopped chives and 1 teaspoon of the chopped thyme and combine thoroughly. Pour into a heavily greased 3 quart baking dish.

6. 6

   In a bowl, combine remaining herbs, 1/2 cup of cheese, and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle on top of macaroni and either dot with butter or drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 35 minutes until top is browned and bubbly.

No additional tips available.