FILIPINO BAKED MACARONI

I am not really sure where this dish originated from but it has been part of our Noche Buena celebration for as long as I can remember. It’s only really served and eaten at that time and it’s always a hit. It’s unusual for sure, with Vienna sausage and chicken as the protein and the cheese is Queso de Bola. Our family isn’t even really that big into chicken but there it is, on the table when the Christmas season rolls in. I made it myself for the first time a few years ago when I felt nostalgic for the dishes my family would eat during the holidays and I actually made the whole spread — Tita Lydia’s Baked Ham, this pasta dish, embutido — and one day a few months ago, I wondered why I only made this dish during that time especially now when I knew how to make it. It’s so easy and amazing as it sits in the sauce for a day or two. I think it gets even better.

When I think about this dish and it’s potential origin, there are Filipino recipes out there but none really go into how it came about. My guess would be, much like the Filipino spaghetti, it came over post war through the American occupation and the ingredients were adapted and customized to what was available. Queso de Bola (or Edam cheese) originated from the Netherlands but was also brought in by the Spanish into their colonies. This cheese is mainly consumed during the holidays as well and because this dish was mainly served during the holidays, I can see how that cheese made it into this dish.

When cooking this dish, some things I’ve learned along the way is that poaching the chicken gently keeps it moist and tender. Additionally, slicing and cubing it instead of shredding it is better. Not only from a textural standpoint but it also catches with the sauce in the the little pasta crevices. For the same reason, I love dicing the Vienna sausage as well instead of cutting them into rounds. Also, I love a touch of sweetness in the sauce but unlike other recipes, I don’t add ketchup. Sugar will suffice. The amount I add depends on the tomato sauce so tasting along the way is critical. I prefer the sauce to not be cloyingly sweet. Additionally to add depth, aside from salt and pepper, fish sauce really helps. It gives the dish the appropriate level of umami. Regarding baking, many recipes create a very cheesy version and require a long bake. I think that is good too but it tends to dry out the pasta and doesn’t leave it saucy. I prefer topping the dish with cheese and putting it under the broiler to quickly brown the cheese and then removing it right away so that it gives you a crispy layer on top and leaves a saucy dish under the crispy, cheesy layer.

There are so many good pasta dishes out there so what is so special about this dish? It’s so easy to make with very few ingredients. Many of the ingredients apart from the chicken and the aromatics are probably already in your pantry so this can come together quick. It’s also a dish we tend to make and graze on so if you don’t feel like cooking a whole lot, make this and let people wander in and out of the kitchen as they get hungry. As much as this dish gets better the next day, you will find that it may not last that long.

❤️Tricia

MACARONI FRUIT SALAD

“Your food is so weird!”

To many of us, that phrase and phrases similar to it evoke feelings of shame and self-consciousness about being othered. That’s what I got anytime I had to explain what was in my mother’s famous (to my siblings and me) macaroni fruit salad. You read that right, MACARONI FRUIT SALAD. This was the closest thing to stuffing, turkey, or pumpkin pie we had for the holidays. She made it for Noche Buena and New Year every single year.

Before you let your face scrunch up about the concept of a sweet macaroni dish, remember that rice pudding, tapioca pudding, and sweet polenta/grits exist. My mother was a child of the 50s, so not only were canned food and packaged pasta all the rage during that era, the Philippines’ cuisine is heavily influenced by the non-perishables brought to the country by Americans in times they aided us during war and times of attempting to colonize us. The thing that really makes people tell me this dish is weird before trying it is the secret ingredient my mother added, which is a few teaspoons of Best Foods mayonnaise for just a little tartness to round out the sweetness. I don’t know any other Filipino family that makes their macaroni salad this way, but it’s something of an upgrade to an ambrosia, mixed with the flavors of Magnolia Buko Salad Ice Cream.

I am my mother’s daughter, so I realized when it was too late that I didn’t really measure, but this is what’s in this dessert— I don’t add young coconut like she did and add extra pineapple because of my preference:

Macaroni (elbow or Ditalini) - a little less than one package

Nestlé Cream - one can

Condensed milk - about 1.5+ can (to taste)

Canned Fruit Salad - 1-2, drained

Canned Pineapple - 1, drained

Peanuts - coarsely crushed/chopped, about a couple hands full

Seedless Raisins - however much you want

It’s pretty much put everything in a large bowl, mix well, adjust to your liking, and then put in the freezer until ready to serve. Put in the fridge about 6-12 hours before serving (until soft enough to mix and scoop)

Stop telling people their food is weird.

With Love, Nori

ROASTED CRAB 🦀 & GARLIC NOODLES

My dad’s sister immigrated to the Bay Area in the 70’s. Subsequently, the rest of his unmarried siblings followed suit through the years. Our parents stayed in the Philippines because they both had built successful businesses and we were all quite young. I do remember coming to the US to visit during our summer vacations to see our cousins and to also travel to different cities. A lot of our travels involved seeing the sights and of course, food.

An early food experience I remember during one of those vacations is going to Thanh Long in San Francisco. It was all about the Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle. If you haven’t heard of Thanh Long, you may have heard of Crustacean – both are the Anh Family’s legacy. This experience stuck with me because we would eventually immigrate to the US and still frequent Thanh Long.

The Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle is just such a magical combination. The sweetness of the Dungeness Crab paired back with the garlicky noodles is just a food memory that has stuck with my family, so much so that it has somehow made its way into our Noche Buena celebrations through the years. I can’t remember when it first appeared but I do have memories about trying to figure out how to make their noodles. There is something about it that sticks with you and later on, we figured out that it was Maggi (we think!). 😆

Let me just say that the recipe for Thanh Long’s Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle is a closely guarded secret by the Anh family. No one really knows how to make their version but them so go visit them to get that experience. However, to make at home, you can definitely find a place to start by looking online. You’ve got many sources. Try them and make it your own. I will post my version in Stories and Highlights so you can check that out too.

Now you’ve seen @janieP00’s Galbi and my Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle, neither dish is Filipino but are now part of our immigrant stories of Noche Buena. Do you have an adopted dish as well that is now a part of your Noche Buena? We’d love to hear from you.

♥️Tricia