Vegetable Timbale The Plan Recipes

TIMPANO ALLA "BIG NIGHT"

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: Place flour, eggs, salt and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. (A large-capacity food processor may also be used.) Add 3 tablespoons water and process. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture comes together and forms a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead to make sure it is well mixed, about 10 minutes. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes. (The dough may be made in advance and refrigerated overnight; return to room temperature before rolling out.)
• Flatten dough on a lightly floured work surface. Dust top with flour and roll it out, dusting with flour and flipping the dough over from time to time, until it is about 1/16-inch thick and is the desired diameter. (To calculate the diameter for the dough round, add the diameter of the bottom of a heavy 6-quart baking pan, the diameter of the top of the pan and twice the height of the pan.) Grease the baking pan generously with butter and olive oil. Fold dough in half and then in half again, to form a triangle, and place in pan. Open dough and arrange it in the pan, gently pressing it against the bottom and the sides, draping extra dough over the sides. Set aside.
• Prepare the filling: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Have salami, provolone, hard-cooked eggs, meatballs and ragù sauce at room temperature. Stir 1/2 cup water into sauce to thin it. Toss pasta with olive oil and allow to cool slightly before tossing with 2 cups sauce. Distribute 4 generous cups of pasta on bottom of timpano. Top with 1 cup salami, 1 cup provolone, 3 eggs, 1 cup meatballs and 1/3 cup Romano cheese. Pour 2 cups sauce over ingredients. Repeat process to create additional layers until filling comes within 1 inch of the top of the pan, ending with 2 cups sauce. Pour beaten eggs over the filling. Fold pasta dough over filling to seal completely. Trim away and discard any double layers of dough. Make sure timpano is tightly sealed. If you notice any small openings cut a piece of trimmed dough to fit over opening. Use a small amount of water to moisten these scraps of dough to ensure that a tight seal has been made.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 1 hour. Cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until the timpano is cooked through and the dough is golden brown (and reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees), about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 30 or more minutes to allow timpano to cool and contract before attempting to remove from pan. The baked timpano should not adhere to the pan. To test, gently shake pan to the left and then to the right. It should slightly spin in the pan. If any part is still attached, carefully detach with a knife.
• To remove timpano from pan, place a baking sheet or thin cutting board that covers the entire diameter on the pan on top of the timpano. Grasp the baking sheet or cutting board and the rim of the pan firmly and invert timpano. Remove pan and allow timpano to cool for 30 minutes. Using a long, sharp knife, cut a circle about 3 inches in diameter in the center of the timpano, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Then slice timpano as you would a pie into individual portions, leaving the center circle as a support for the remaining pieces. The cut pieces should hold together, revealing built-up layers of great stuff.

VEGETABLE TIMBALES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 1 batch of corn custard and set aside. Dry roast all the vegetable rounds until wrinkly, but not too brown. Let cool. Meanwhile, spray 8 souffle dishes with pan coating. Line the edges of the dishes with the leeks horizontally. Arrange 3 to 4 carrot rounds on the bottom of each dish making a "flower." Follow layers in this order: zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, yellow squash, and red peppers. Place the rounds in concentric circles fully covering the previous layer.
• Ladle the corn custard over the entire timbale. Once the custard is up to the lip, cover with spinach leaves. Press the leaves lightly into the custard to coat.
• Cover with foil and bake until the custards reach a temperature of 150 degrees F.
• Put corn in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the cream, just enough to blend and add to the corn. Add the remaining ingredients and blend. Pour over timbales and bake.

VEGETABLE TIMBALE (THE PLAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Use a mandoline or slice vegetables as thinly as you can. Create layers as for lasagna, laying vegetables and goat cheese in a 9" baking dish (does not need to be oiled): zucchini, onion, Swiss chard, goat cheese, carrots, shiitakes, etc., and top with Parmesan or Manchego. Cook for 30 minutes or until cheese on top is slightly golden. Makes 6 servings.

LESSONS WORTH SAVORING SPINACH TIMBALES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the spinach, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove spinach from skillet, drain and keep warm.
• In the same skillet, add one tablespoon of butter and the leeks, and cook over high heat, stirring, until the leeks are wilted.
• Add the mushrooms to the pan, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the spinach to the skillet, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, set aside and keep warm.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cream and nutmeg, and beat well with a whisk.
• Grease four aluminum molds ( 1/3-cup capacity) with the remaining butter. Distribute the leak, spinach and mushroom mixture evenly in the molds. Place them in a deep skillet. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the molds. Add warm water around the molds to about 1/2-inch depth; then, cover them with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm. To serve, unmold onto the plates holding the roast duck.

VEGETABLE TIMBALES

Steps:

• Preheat oven broiler. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds and membranes. Place, skin side up, on baking sheet under hot broiler, until skin blackens and blisters. Cool and peel away skin.
• Steam the carrots until they are soft. Drain.
• Wash watercress and put in sauce pan with just the water clinging to the leaves. Cover pan and steam watercress for 2 minutes. Drain, cool and squeeze dry with your hands.
• Puree each vegetable individually in food processor, adding a third of the cream to the carrots to make a smooth puree.
• Pour the pepper puree into a small sauce pan and stir over moderate heat until thickened.
• Put each puree into its own bowl to cool. Divide remaining cream between pepper and watercress purees.
• Butter 4 timbale molds. Preheat oven to 325°F
• Stir 2 egg yolks into each puree. Divide last yolk between watercress and pepper purees. Season each with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
• Divide carrot puree equally among timbale molds. Smooth the surface. Repeat with watercress puree. Smooth surface and repeat with pepper puree.
• Put the molds in a roasting pan and pour hot water around molds, about half-way up sides of molds.
• Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
• Remove molds from pan and cool slightly on wire rack.
• To serve, hold plate on top of each timbale and then turn it upside down. Give the plate and timbale a sharp shake and timbale should release itself.
• Serve warm with salad and baguette.

AUBERGINE TIMBALES WITH GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Put oil in a large frying pan to cover the base, and heat. Fry the aubergine until softened, 2-3 mins . Season, then drain on paper towel. You may have to do this in batches.
• For the filling, add 2-3 tbsp oil to the pan and fry the pepper, courgette, shallots and garlic over a high heat until they have a good colour, 3-5 mins. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook until evaporated. Add the tomatoes and season, then cook for 3 more mins stirring occasionally until the mixture is softened, but not too saucy. Remove from the heat, then mix in the olives, capers, half the shredded basil and the grated parmesan. Set aside to cool.
• Grease the moulds and line the bases with aubergine slices to fit. Top with veg mixture, more aubergine slices (cut to fit if needed) and a slices of cheese. Repeat the layers, finishing with aubergine. Press lightly to firm. Can be covered with cling film and chilled for up to 1 day.
• To cook and serve: heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Chilled cups will need to come to room temperature first. Place the cups on a tray, uncovered, and bake for 12-15 mins until bubbling. Allow to stand for 10 mins while you toss the spinach and remaining basil with vinaigrette and seasoning and divide between six dinner plates. Scatter over the nuts.
• Loosen the tops of the timbales with a table knife and up-end into the centre of the salad on the plates, shaking the cups to help demould. Top with the parmesan shavings and serve.