Pastina Timbale Recipes

SAUSAGE-AND-RICE TIMBALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, shaking the colander to remove any excess water. Spread the rice on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place a baking sheet on the middle rack. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Tear the basil and add to the skillet along with the garlic and tomato paste. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste browns, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Coat the pan with the breadcrumbs, tapping to remove any excess. Put the eggs and all but 3 tablespoons of the pecorino cheese in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Put the cooled rice in a bowl; add the egg mixture and stir to combine.
• Transfer about two-thirds of the rice mixture to the prepared springform pan. Using moist fingers, pat the rice onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a 1/2-inch-thick layer. Place the provolone slices over the rice in the pan. Spoon about three-quarters of the sausage filling over the provolone, filling it to 1/2 inch from the top. Pat the remaining rice mixture on top to enclose the filling, then sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons pecorino cheese. Put the pan on the hot baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool, 5 minutes.
• Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the timbale, then remove the side of the pan. Slide a spatula under the timbale and transfer it to a platter. Thin the remaining sausage filling with a splash of water and reheat. Serve with the timbale.

TIMBALES

Steps:

• Heat oil in deep-fryer or heavy deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sugar, salt, water and egg. Gradually mix in the flour.
• Dip a rosette iron into the batter, then into the hot oil. Fry until golden, and drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar before completely cool.

PASTA TIMBALE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes until it starts bubbling but does not colour.
• Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Continue whisking for about 4 minutes until it thickens.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Make sure to place wrap directly on the surface of the sauce so a skin does not form. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes until soft.
• Add the tomatoes. Partially cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until sauce is very thick.
• Stir in the basil. Season with salt and pepper and set side.
• Put 1¼ cups of the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and crack the eggs into the well.
• With your hands, gradually mix the flour into the eggs until dough forms.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times until you have incorporated as much of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour as possible. The dough will appear lumpy and dry.
• Cut the dough in half and put one ball under a slightly damp towel.
• Flatten the other piece with your hand.
• Set a pasta roller at thickest setting and feed dough through rollers.
• Fold dough into an envelope shape and feed through machine again. Repeat 3 or 4 more times or until your dough looks smooth.
• Reduce the pasta setting by one mark and pass through again. Reduce setting by one mark for each pass through until dough has passed through all settings.
• Cut the sheet of dough in half and put the 2 sheets under a sheet of plastic wrap.
• Repeat the entire process with the second dough ball. You now have 4 sheets of pasta under plastic.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta sheets in the boiling water for about 1 minute each or until al dente.
• Lay them on a well-oiled baking sheet. Do not over-lap the sheets. Spread some more olive oil on top of each pasta sheet.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put one pasta sheet in the centre of a 5 inch deep, 8 inch circular baking dish. Drape the edges of the pasta over the sides. Press pasta sheet into the edges of the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining pasta sheets. The entire bottom and sides of the baking dish should be covered with pasta and the sides of the pasta sheets should be hanging over the sides of the baking dish.
• Cut eggplant into 1/4 inch thick diagonal slices. Brush with oil and grill. Season the eggplant with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl toss the cooked rigatoni with the tomato basil sauce and parmigiano regiano cheese.
• Spread half the rigatoni on top of the fresh pasta sheets in the baking dish.
• Overlap half of the eggplant slices over the rigatoni.
• Spread half the béchamel on the eggplant slices.
• Top the béchamel with the rest of the rigatoni.
• Place the mozzarella slices on top of the rigatoni.
• Sprinkle with chopped basil.
• Layer with remaining eggplant slices.
• Pour over remaining béchamel sauce.
• Fold the overhanging pasta sheet ends over on top of the dish to seal.
• Brush the top with more olive oil.
• Bake for about 25 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and let the timbale rest for 15 minutes.
• Flip timbale onto a platter and unmould. Cut the timbale into wedges to serve.

TWO-PASTA TIMBALE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 3-quart round deep glass baking dish with the butter. Arrange the spaghetti in a spiral pattern over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Spoon the Bolognese sauce into a pastry bag fitted with a wide plain tip and pipe the sauce into the rigatoni. Arrange the rigatoni over the spaghetti in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Invert the baking dish onto a serving plate and lift it off. Spoon the tomato sauce on top of the timbale and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.