Macarrones con Picadillo
(mah-kah-ROH-nes kon pee-kah-DEE-yo)
Almuerzo y La Merienda (The Midday Fuel & The 3 PM Pick-Me-Up)
This is the ultimate Cuban-American mashup, a testament to the quiet, unpretentious genius of the home kitchen. It is what happens when you take the island's canonical picadillo—a deeply savory, cumin-laced ground beef stew defined by the salty-sweet tug-of-war between green olives and raisins—and stretch it over humble tubular pasta. You do not need an all-day simmer or imported San Marzano tomatoes; the magic here is unapologetically pragmatic. Relying on standard supermarket staples and a splash of olive brine, it delivers a nostalgic, wildly comforting weeknight dinner that tastes undeniably, profoundly of home.
Ingredients
- elbow macaroni1 lb
- olive oil1 tbsp
- 80/20 ground beef1 lb
- yellow onion1 med
- green bell pepper1 med
- garlic cloves4 med
- ground cumin1 1/2 tsp
- dried oregano1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- dried bay leaves2 med
- dry white wine1/4 cup
- tomato sauce15 oz
- tomato paste1 tbsp
- pimento-stuffed green olives1/3 cup
- olive jar brine1 tbsp
- seedless raisins1/3 cup
- Gouda cheese1 cup
Method
- 01
Cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente.
Drain the pasta and set it aside, making sure to reserve half a cup of the starchy pasta water.
- 02
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the ground beef.
Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until heavily browned, draining the excess fat but leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.
- 03
Lower the heat to medium and sauté the diced onion and bell pepper in the residual beef fat until translucent.
This should take about 5 minutes; stir in the minced garlic at the very end and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
- 04
Sprinkle the cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper over the mixture to toast briefly before deglazing with the white wine.
Stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices, then pour in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits as the liquid reduces for a minute or two.
- 05
Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives, olive brine, raisins, and bay leaves, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Do not rush this step; this is where the raisins plump up, the harsh acidity of the canned tomatoes mellows out, and the distinct Cuban flavor profile truly develops.
- 06
Remove the bay leaves, fold the cooked macaroni directly into the simmering picadillo, and melt the cheese over the top.
Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening, then remove from the heat, top heavily with the shredded cheese, and cover the pan for 2 minutes until bubbling and melted.
Notes
The secret is in the brine.
The grandmother's trick to elevating standard tomato sauce to authentic Cuban picadillo is the one-two punch of cumin and a tablespoon of liquid straight from the olive jar.
Embrace the raisins.
While raisins in pasta might raise eyebrows for the uninitiated, their bursts of sweetness are historically essential to counter the salty, briny notes of the olives; try it the authentic way before deciding to omit them.
From Cook Cuban in America.