Baked Macaroni
Baked macaroni is a pasta dish which is made out of macaroni, tomato based sauce and minced meat. It looks similar to Macaroni and Cheese straight out of the oven but the resemblance stops there as this dish is not cheese based but is flavoured with meat and tomatoes. Another popular pasta dish in the Philippines after spaghetti, though it looks like another Italian pasta dish this recipe is more on the sweet side as pasta dishes in the Philippines are adjusted for the Filipino palate which is a mixture of savoury sweet and spicy sauce.
Now for a little bit of information about the macaroni. Did you know that macaroni does not refer to the shape of the noodle but more of the type of dough used? Unlike any other pasta dough macaroni does not contain eggs. Macaroni came from the Italian word “maccherone” which means squashed, that might depict the process of how macaroni is made. Not all macaroni’s have that curvy elbow shape but there are a lot of different shapes as well and all of them have the distinctive hollow hole in the middle.
Ingredients
400g macaroni
400g minced beef
400g minced pork
6 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
1 pcs green capsicum, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cup beef stock
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 tsp cayenne
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
salt
grated cheddar cheese
Method
1. Cook macaroni according to packet instructions, once cooked drain then set aside.
2. In a pan add olive oil then sauté garlic, onions and green capsicum. Cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and cook until tender.
4. Add beef and pork mince and cook until light brown in colour.
5. Add beef stock, vinegar, tomato paste, sugar and cayenne. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Combine together macaroni and meat sauce, mix it evenly then place on a casserole or baking dish. Top with grated cheddar cheese then bake in a 180C preheated oven for 20 minutes.
8. Remove from oven then let it cool before serving.
I love your baked macaroni …….because it has sugar..!!!
I loooove baked mac! reminds me so much of sleepovers at my auntie’s! I don’t know how you cut your baked mac to stay perfectly square for the picture. whenever I make anything with pasta it oozes all over my plate. not very photogenic!
tsalap nyan bro….paborito ni baje ko yan….
This will be a good change for us away from noodles and rice, looks delicious.
wow this is very different from the macaroni cheese that I make. And thank you for the history too, I love the learning i get from your pages! c
Wow, what an awesome sounding recipe! I love how rich and deep the color is of the macaroni- probably from the minced meat!
Ah, comfort food! One dish meals warm us in fall and winter.
This looks delicious and so comforting. I too like the addition of sugar to the dish.
OK, randomness here, but look how square you cut that! I love this recipe and the little bit of history as always.
Yum! Comfort food at it’s best. Great photo too!
Yes, yes, yes please! I’m an avid macaroni fan, and love your twist on the standard dish. Really interesting history about the macaroni dough–I had no idea.
There is always something simplistically wonderful about macaroni done right.
I like how well it sticks together! Elbow macaroni might be my favorite pasta, boring I know!
Oh baked macaroni… I could definitely eat this for dinner tonight. Love it
I do love some good cheesy comfort food. This is totally up my alley and looks so sinful and delicious!
It’s interesting how every country (pretty much all?) think this is a comfort dish. Looks delicious Raymund!
I’ve actually never had this (I’ve of course had and made spaghetti yum).
I definitely want to give this recipe a shot though, I love the idea of using a tomato sauce along with beef and pork. Do you think it’d be ok if I used all pork, or would it lose something?
The next to order when lasagna isn’t available when eating out. Love it. I also don’t forget sugar when I make this recipe. Distinctly pinoy taste.
I have had some sort of version of this before – but yours looks really appetizing!
looks very creamy. thanks for the macaroni lesson. i didn’t know that..