There are days when supper needs to be simple, filling, and dependable, and that is exactly where this oven baked Amish-style pork belly macaroni earns its place at the table. It has the plain good sense of old farm cooking, built from just a handful of ingredients and baked together in one pan until the pasta turns tender and the pork belly bastes everything beneath it. This is the kind of hearty Midwestern dish that feels right for a weekend, especially when you want something comforting without too much fuss.
Serve this rich macaroni with something fresh and sharp to balance it out, like stewed green beans, buttery peas, sliced tomatoes, or a crisp cabbage slaw. A piece of warm bread or skillet cornbread goes nicely alongside to catch the savory juices, and if you want to round out the meal, a dish of applesauce or quick pickles makes a fine old-fashioned pairing.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Amish Pork Belly Macaroni
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 pound dry radiatori pasta
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 10- to 12-inch cast iron baking pan or deep skillet if needed.
2. Spread the dry radiatori pasta evenly in the pan, then scatter the sliced onion over the top.
3. Pour the chicken broth slowly over the pasta and onions, making sure the pasta is moistened as evenly as possible.
4. Lay the sliced raw pork belly across the top in an even layer, covering as much of the surface as you can.
5. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking 20 to 30 minutes more, until the pasta is tender and the pork belly is browned and cooked through. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving so the juices settle back into the macaroni.
Variations & Tips
Add a little dairy: If you want a creamier pan of macaroni, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream or 1 cup whole milk with the broth. It softens the richness of the pork belly in a different way and gives the pasta a more old-fashioned baked supper feel.
Use a sweeter onion: A sweet onion works beautifully here if you like a gentler flavor. As it bakes down under the pork belly, it turns mellow and almost jammy, which suits the saltiness of the meat.
Check the liquid before the final bake: Different brands of pasta can drink up broth at different speeds. If the pan looks dry when you remove the foil, add another splash of hot broth before returning it to the oven so the radiatori can finish tender instead of chewy.
Broil carefully for color: For crisper edges on the pork belly, place the pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes at the very end, watching closely. That little bit of color makes the top especially appealing, but it can go from browned to too dark in a hurry.
Make it a fuller meal: You can tuck in a handful of cabbage, peas, or sliced mushrooms under the pork belly if you do not mind straying from the four-ingredient spirit. It is still humble pantry cooking, just stretched a bit to feed a hungry table.
