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Unmolded timpano pasta dome on wood board.
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Timpano di Pasta Recipe

Inspired by my favorite foodie movie, Big Night, this timpano di pasta recipe is my interpretation of their famous timpano. A layered baked pasta dish with meatballs, sausage, pasta with tomato sauce and pasta with béchamel sauce all covered in a savory crust, timpano is without a doubt a labor of love and sure to impress all!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword timpano di pasta, Italian cooking, pasta with sausage and meatballs in a crust
Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 840kcal

Equipment

  • 1 4 liter stainless steel bowl

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 eggs

For the meatballs:

  • 250 grams combined ground meat trio veal, porc and beef (or only 1 variety if you prefer)
  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs from day old bread torn into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 5 tbsp. grated Parmigiano
  • 1/4 cup parsley chopped
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 links Italian sausage

    For the tomato sauce:

    • 2 tbsp. olive oil
    • 1/2 onion finely diced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 700 ml tomato passata
    • salt and pepper to taste

    For the béchamel sauce:

    • 2 cups milk
    • 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
    • 5 tbsp. butter
    • 1 tsp salt
    • pinch nutmeg
    • ½ cup grated Parmigiano cheese

    For assembling the Timpano di pasta:

    • 750 grams pasta 1 1/2 packages penne or rigatoni
    • ½ cup ricotta cheese
    • ½ cup grated Parmigianao
    • butter for greasing the bowl
    • olive oil for greasing the bowl
    • 2 tbsp. breadcrumbs for coating the bowl
    • 1 large egg for brushing over the dough

    Instructions

    Prepare the dough

    • In a large bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, olive oil and eggs.
    • Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Use a fork to incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients.
    • When the mixture begins to resemble a dough, place on a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

    Prepare the meatballs and tomato sauce:

    • Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over them, stirring to combine. Let sit for a few minutes.
    • In a large bowl combine the ground meat, egg, Parmigiano, parsley, salt and pepper. Using your hands, squeeze out excess milk from the breadcrumbs and add to the meat mixture.
    • Combine all ingredients and shape into 36 mini meatballs. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
    • At the same time, bake the sausages for 20-30 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Cut into thin slices and set aside.
    • Meanwhile prepare the tomato sauce. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil and add onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
    • Pour in the tomato passata. Add about 1 cup of water to the jar and swirl to gather excess sauce and pour into the pan. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper, then lower to a simmer.
    • When the meatballs are ready add to the tomato sauce and let simmer for an hour.

    Prepare the béchamel sauce:

    • In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk together until a paste is formed.
    • Gradually pour the milk into the butter mixture (about 1 cup at a time), bring to a boil and continue whisking until smooth and thickened, about 8 minutes.
    • Remove from heat. Stir in the salt, pinch of nutmeg and Parmigiano cheese. Set aside.

    Cook the pasta

    • Bring a large pot with salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 3 minutes less than the time suggested on the package.
    • Divide pasta into 2 bowls. Stir the béchamel sauce in 1 bowl of pasta. Thin the sauce with pasta water if necessary.
    • Toss the tomato sauce and mini meatballs with the pasta in the second bowl. Stir in the Parmigiano cheese

    To assemble the timpano and bake

    • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a stainless steal bowl with a 4 litre capacity generously with butter and oil and dust with breadcrumbs.
    • On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle of about 1/4 inch thickness. Carefully place the dough over the bowl. You should have approximately 2 inches of dough hanging over the edge.
    • Pour in the pasta with the tomato sauce and meatballs in 2 or 3 layers, dotting each layer with a few dollops of ricotta. Gently press down on the pasta with your hands.
    • Place sausage slices over the pasta. Pour in the pasta with béchamel sauce over the sausage and lightly flatten with your hands.
    • Fold over the remaining dough over the pasta. The pasta will not be completely covered by the dough. Beat the egg and brush over the dough. Pour the remaining egg over the pasta.
    • Cover the exposed pasta in the centre with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 hour or until the dough is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes.
    • Carefully flip the timpano onto a large cutting board. At this point it would be best to let it sit, loosely covered with foil, for about 30 minutes before slicing in order to prevent the pasta from spilling out of the dough.

    Notes

    Substitutions and Variations:

    This is my favorite combination of ingredients for timpano, however it can be endlessly varied with ingredients of your choice:
    -A vegetarian version of this dish is also possible by adding sautéed or or roasted vegetables of your choice instead of sausage and meatballs including eggplant, mushrooms or peppers.
    -Add a layer of hard boiled eggs as I do in my traditional pasta al forno or Sicilian lasagna recipes.
    -Replace the sausage with cured meats such as cubed salami or prosciutto cotto.

    Which pasta is best for making timpano?

    I recommend using penne or rigatoni as they hold up well after the timpano is sliced and make for a beautiful presentation. 

    What can I use to bake the timpano in?

    -In the movie, the timpano is baked in an enamel oven safe basin.
    -I used a dome shaped basic 4 litre stainless steel mixing bowl.
    -A spring form pan may also be used, although you won't get that dramatic height as you would with a basin or bowl.

    More tips

    -Be sure to reserve some of the cooking water from the pasta in order to thin out the béchamel (if needed) when you stir it into the pasta.
    -Roll out the dough as thin as possible. It does need to be a perfect circle.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 840kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1264mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 905IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 374mg | Iron: 6mg