Two Pasta Timbale Recipes

TIMBALLO GENOVESE

Steps:

• For the sauce: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Season the meat evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and add to the hot pan. Cook until the meat is deep brown on the first side, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until deep, dark brown, an additional 3 minutes on each side. Remove the meat to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and an additional 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the bits from the bottom and coating the onions in the oil from the pan. Cook the onions, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add the garlic, carrots and celery and cook until fragrant and soft, another 2 minutes. Clear a little space in the pan so you can see the bottom. Add the tomato paste to that spot and toast the paste, stirring often, until deep red, about 2 minutes. Stir the paste into the vegetables and deglaze with the Marsala. Simmer for 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Place the meat back into the pan and add 3 cups water to cover three-quarters of the way. Nestle the Parmesan rind into the sauce. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid just slightly ajar and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until slightly reduced and the onions are practically melted into the sauce, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Remove the piece of meat and the cheese rind. Discard the rind and save the beef for another use. Using a handheld immersion blender, pulse the sauce to even out the consistency. Stir in the butter until combined. Remove 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for the assembly.
• For the meatballs: Preheat the broiler to high.
• Mix together the milk, bread and egg with a fork in a medium bowl and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Stir in the Parmesan, oregano and salt. Using your hands, mix in the beef until just combined. With damp hands, scoop 1/2-teaspoon mounds and roll into uniform balls. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until browned, about 7 minutes. Set aside.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• For the filling: Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and bacon and cook, stirring often, until the bacon is crispy and browned, about 5 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Stir in the peas and salt and remove from the heat.
• For the assembly: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season well with salt. Add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the water and add directly to the sauce in the Dutch oven. Sprinkle the bare pasta with 1 1/2 cups Parmesan and toss well with the sauce. Add 1/2 cup pasta water to loosen slightly and help the sauce coat the pasta, if needed.
• Using the tongs, place half of the sauced pasta in the bottom of a springform pan. Spread 1/2 cup of the reserved sauce on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with the smoked provolone. Follow with the pea mixture, then the meatballs. Sprinkle the meatballs with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Press down slightly to pack. Top with the remaining pasta and 1 cup reserved sauce. Press gently to compress. Top the pasta with the remaining 1 cup Parmesan.
• Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown on top, 50 to 60 minutes. Allow the timbale to rest for 30 minutes before running a knife around the edge and unmolding. Slice with a thin, sharp knife to serve.

TIMBALLO SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread olive oil into the bottom of a cast-iron skillet or large baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain.
• Stir spaghetti, marinara sauce, diced chicken, onion, pepperoni, green pepper, mushroom pieces, and black olives together in a large bowl; transfer into the prepared cast-iron skillet. Top with mozzarella cheese in a layer and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is bubbling, chicken is cooked through, and the cheese topping is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

TIMBALLO

Steps:

• For meat sauce:
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté sausage, breaking up lumps with a fork, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add onion and bay leaf and sauté, stirring frequently, until onion begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add carrot, celery, and salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute, then add wine and deglaze by boiling, scraping up any brown bits, until most of liquid is evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato purée and sugar and boil, stirring frequently, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool sauce and discard bay leaf.
• For pasta:
• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling until al dente, then transfer with a skimmer to a colander to drain (do not rinse), reserving water in pot to cook chard. Cool pasta, spread in a baking pan, to warm.
• For chard in béchamel sauce:
• Add chard to pot and simmer, uncovered, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer with skimmer to a bowl of ice and cold water. Drain chard and squeeze handfuls, then finely chop.
• Heat butter in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then add garlic and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute, then add milk in a slow stream, whisking. Bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chard, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano, then remove pan from heat.
• Assemble and bake timballo:
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Oil soufflé dish and line bottom with a round of parchment paper, then oil parchment. Cover bottom of dish with a single layer of pasta. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and 3 tablespoons Parmigiano over pasta, then spoon half of meat sauce in an even layer over cheese. Arrange one third of remaining pasta over meat sauce in soufflé dish and top with all of chard, then another layer of pasta (about half of remainder). Sprinkle with remainder of cheeses, then spoon remaining meat sauce over cheese. Top with remaining pasta. (You may have pasta left over.) Cover pasta with an oiled round of parchment (oiled side down) and cover dish with foil.
• Bake in a in wide 6- to 8-quart pot until bubbling and a metal skewer or thin knife inserted in center of timballo comes out hot to the touch, about 1 hour. Remove soufflé dish from water bath and let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Remove foil and parchment and run a knife around edge of timballo to loosen, then invert a platter over soufflé dish and invert timballo onto platter. Remove soufflé dish and remaining parchment.

PASTINA TIMBALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Brush 8 (12-ounce) ramekins or 1 large oven-safe bowl with butter and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and saute sausage until browned.
• Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and the minced garlic in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is light brown, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and stir them every minute for 3 to 5 minutes until the crumbs are lightly toasted. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the parsley and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Cook for 30 seconds.
• Pour the bread crumb mixture into the prepared ramekins or bowl and press around the sides to line with the bread crumb mixture, using your fingers to evenly distribute it along the bottom and up the sides.
• While the Pastina Timbale Sauce is simmering, cook the pastina in the boiling salted water until just shy of al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pastina in a colander.
• Reheat the sauce, if needed, and add the drained pastina and then the browned sausage. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of parsley, and remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Transfer the pastina mixture to the lined ramekins (1 1/4 cups per ramekin) or large bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Invert the molded pastina timbale onto warmed individual serving plates, and serve.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a bowl, toss tomatoes and whole jalapeno chiles with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place tomato mixture on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for 15 or 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from heat and finely chop the tomatoes. Transfer tomato pulp and any juices from the cutting board to a bowl. Chop the chiles and taste to determine their heat.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, season with salt, and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and stir. Add the chiles and simmer for another minute, only adding as much jalapeno as you want for spice. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir in the Gorgonzola. Stir in the roasted peppers and the parsley. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready 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.

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.

EGGPLANT TIMBALE

Steps:

• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the eggplant slices with 1/3 cup olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Grill the eggplant until tender and colored with grill marks, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.
• Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and pork, and brown the meat, breaking it into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
• Add the Marsala and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Add the peas and marinara sauce and stir to combine.
• Add the cheeses, basil, and cooked pasta. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the springform pan with the grilled eggplant.
• Be sure that the slices overlap and hang over the edge of the pan.
• Fill the pan with the pasta mixture, pressing down to make sure the pan is filling up evenly.
• Fold the eggplant slices up over the top of the pasta and add a few more slices on top to completely enclose the timbale.
• Bake the timbale until warmed through and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes. Let rest on the counter for 10 minutes to set.
• To serve, invert the timbale onto a serving plate and remove the springform pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese over the top.
• Slice and serve.

TWO-TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; saute 1-2 minutes longer. , Combine flour and milk until smooth; gradually add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Reduce heat; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Drain pasta; stir into tomato mixture. Sprinkle with basil.

EGGPLANT TIMBALE

Steps:

• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the eggplant slices with 1/3 cup olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant until tender and colored with grill marks, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and pork, and brown the meat, breaking it into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the peas and marinara sauce and stir to combine. Add the cheeses, basil, and cooked pasta. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the springform pan with the grilled eggplant. Be sure that the slices overlap and hang over the edge of the pan. Fill the pan with the pasta mixture, pressing down to make sure the pan is filling up evenly. Fold the eggplant slices up over the top of the pasta and add a few more slices on top to completely enclose the timbale. Bake the timbale until warmed through and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes. Let rest on the counter for 10 minutes to set.
• To serve, invert the timbale onto a serving plate and remove the springform pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese over the top. Slice and serve. 8.