“Traditional” Trinidad macaroni pie is made with macaroni, eggs, grated cheese, evaporated milk, salt and white pepper. Optional add-ins include grated onion or carrot, chopped herbs and tomato. At least, these are the ingredients that are listed in the 2002 edition of the Naparima Girls’s High School Cookbook (officially titled The Multi-Cultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago & the Caribbean). This is the quintessential book on Trinidadian cuisine, and every Trinidadian family seems to have a copy of the book in their home.

• 2 cups elbow macaroni , uncooked
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• ¼ cup onion , finely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 2 2/3 cups evaporated milk , (measure from 2 cans of Carnation milk)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• a pinch of cayenne pepper , optional
• 3½ cups grated aged cheddar cheese , reserve ½ cup for topping