Macaroni casserole is a dish of baked pasta. It is especially known as a staple in northern European home cooking. It is a dish of cooked macaroni and a mixture of egg and milk with additional ingredients like meats, vegetables or fish. It is commonly made with cheese or breadcrumbs sprinkled on top.
In some countries it is usually eaten with ketchup.[1]
Variants by country
Finland
Macaroni casserole in Finland
In Finland, the dish is called makaronilaatikko (Finnish) or makaronilåda (Swedish), lit.'macaroni casserole', and is one of the most popular traditional dishes.[2][3] According to a survey conducted in 2010 with 1,100 respondents, it is the second most popular everyday dish for dinner in Finland.[4] The dish is most commonly made with minced meat. Macaroni casseroles are readily available in Finnish grocery stores as pre-packaged meals.[citation needed]
Sweden
In Sweden, the dish is called makaronipudding or makaronilåda.[5] The Swedish version is usually made with ham, leek, and cheese.[citation needed]
Malta
In Malta, a baked dish called imqarrun is made with macaroni, bolognese style meat sauce and egg. Other versions add chicken livers, hard boiled eggs, peas and bacon. The macaroni is usually topped with a layer of grated cheese or besciamella (béchamel) that will melt during the baking process and help to bind and set the pasta. This is not to be confused with timpana, which has an outer pastry casing.[citation needed]
North Macedonia
In North Macedonia, the dish is called makaroni vo tava, and is made with macaroni, minced meat and a bolognese-style meat sauce. The macaroni casserole is topped with grated cheese or crumbled white cheese when baking. Can sometimes also include egg, like the Maltese version.[citation needed]
Indonesia
Baked makaroni schotel
In Indonesia, the dish is sometimes known as makaroni schotel[6] or makaroni schaal.[7] This dish was introduced by the Dutch during the occupation in Indonesia. Therefore, 'Schotel' or 'schaal' (meaning 'dish'[7]), borrowed from Dutch language, refers to the container used to make this food. The Indonesian version is usually made with cheese and meat (smoked beef is widely used, alternatively sausage or tuna.
Potato is sometimes also used).[citation needed]
^Pääkirjoitus (Heslingin Sanomat 28.2.2013). (2010-05-06). "Spagetti ja jauhelihakastike aikuisten suosituinta arkiruokaa" [Spaghetti and meat sauce popular everyday food for adults] (in Finnish). Ruokatieto Yhdistys ry (Food Information Association). Archived from the original on 2012-03-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
