News Americas, NEW YORK: This week, our featured recipe comes from Tobago, Trinidad’s sister island, and it’s none other than Breadfruit Pie. The breadfruit, for those unfamiliar, is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family native to the South Pacific that became popular in the Caribbean during the late 18th century. Its name derives from the texture of the medium-ripe fruit, which when cooked is similar to freshly baked bread with a potato-like taste. You can buy it in the US and Canada at most Asian or Hispanic supermarkets.
The ingredients
METHOD for preparing breadfruit pie
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cut off the stem part of the Breadfruit, then place that flat side down on your counter and cut into pieces. Peel the skin with a potato peeler or a sharp knife.
- The last step is to remove the kind of spongy center (almost like an extension of the stem), so you’re left with a wedge that holds all the meat.
- Rinse with cold water, place in a deep pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, add salt and cook until tender, 20 minutes.
- In another pan heat the Butter on a low heat, then as it melts add the flour and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the evaporated milk, turn the heat to medium and stir. Add the chopped fresh parsley, finely chopped scotch pepper, powdered mustard, Monterrey Jack cheese and most of the medium grated Cheddar, finely chopped onion, nutmeg and black pepper (1/4 teaspoon). Cook for a few minutes until you have a thick, smooth sauce.
- Slice each piece of cooked bread about 1/4 inch thick, then place in a layer in a greased baking dish. Add a layer of cheese, then another layer of sliced bread and top with the remaining cheese sauce.
- Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese on top.
- Place on the middle rack of a preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Let it cool for a few minutes and then serve.
