Best Timballo 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:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook the pasta sheets in boiling, salted water until al dente. Shock the pasta in cold water. Lay the pasta out onto a clean kitchen towel and dry.
• Take 1/2 of the melted butter and coat the bottom a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Place a layer of pasta to cover bottom of pan. Ladle a thin layer of tomato sauce over the pasta, and sprinkle with 1/4 of the mozzarella. Add another layer of pasta sheets over the cheese. Ladle a thin layer of bechamel sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle 1/4 of the ground veal and 1/4 of the Parmigiano evenly over the bechamel. Repeat layering, until there are 3 layers of each. Add the final layer of fresh pasta and cover top layer with the remaining mozzarella, veal, Parmigiano and tomato sauce. Finally, ladle the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter over the top and cover the pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake approximately 30 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
• Saute the onion in olive oil until brown. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Crush tomatoes with a fork as they soften. Season with salt and pepper and add basil. Simmer for about 1 hour.
• Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepot. In a saute pan, combine the melted butter with the flour to make roux. Whisk the milk into the roux. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the veal and cook until brown and cooked through. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Drain off excess liquid and set aside.

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.

EGGPLANT TIMBALLO WITH CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the eggplant slices on top of a sheet tray lined with parchment or waxed paper. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven until it turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool.
• Oil the bottoms and sides of 6 souffle dishes and layer 4 to 5 pieces of eggplant in a circular pattern into each souffle dish, letting excess drape out over the edge.
• Heat up the tomato sauce in a large saucepan. Then turn off flame. Reserve some tomato sauce for plating in a smaller pot.
• In a large pot with boiling salted water, cook the cavatelli pasta for 3 to 4 minutes, and drain.
• In the pot with the sauce, add the partially cooked cavatelli, mozzarella, and pecorino to the tomato sauce and cook over medium heat just to blend well. When hot, stir in the basil chiffonade. Spoon the pasta-sauce mixture into the souffle dishes and fold over the top with excess eggplant. Bake in oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
• To serve, spoon the remaining tomato sauce onto individual plates. Turn a finished timballo upside down onto a large spatula to remove it from the souffle dish, then carefully slide it onto the plates. Sprinkle with pecorino and garnish with a basil leaf.
• In a heavy 5-quart saucepan cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic, basil, bay leaf, and salt and pepper, to taste, in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until vegetables are softened. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes with reserved juice.
• Simmer sauce, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened. Discard bay leaf. Sauce may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.

MY TIMBALLO

Steps:

• Heat oven 350.
• Combine the meats.
• Soak bread in half and half for 5 minutes. Squeeze dry.
• Add to meat.
• Stir in the eggs, parsley, basil, parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside.
• Combine the macaroni, mozzarella, parmesan and 1 cup of the sauce. Set aside.
• Spray a 9 inch springform pan with non-stick spray and olive oil. Line with waxed paper.
• Line with prosciutto.
• Press 2/3 of the meat mixture on top, spreading to come up sides.
• Fill with macaroni.
• Roll out remaining meat mixture between plastic wrap to form a 9 inch circle.
• Place on top, sealing edges. Cover with foil.
• Place on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes.
• Uncover. Bake 15 more minutes.
• Remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Run a knife around edges. Place a platter on top. Invert. Cut in wedges.
• Heat remaining sauce. Place on plates. Top with Timballo.
• YUM!

A DRUM OF EGGPLANT AND BUCATINI (TIMBALLO DI MELANZANE E BUCATIN

Steps:

• Cut off the stems of the eggplants and discard. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Salt and layer the eggplant slices in a colander set over a bowl.
• Place a large bowl of water on top of the slices to act as a weight. Let the eggplant "sweat" for at least 1 hour to remove the excess water.
• Butter a 9 x 3 1/2-inch-deep round mold or cake pan and coat the inside evenly with the 1/2 cup bread crumbs.
• Shake out the excess crumbs and refrigerate the mold until ready to fill.
• To make the sauce:
• In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and cook, stirring, the onions, carrot, and celery until they soften.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens.
• Stir in the tomatoes, red wine, and bay leaf.
• Cover the pan and simmer the sauce for 30 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Remove the bay leaf before using.
• Cook the bucatini according to the directions.
• Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a medium-size bowl, combine the veal, egg, white wine, the 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino, bread crumbs, and salt. Mix gently to just combine the ingredients. Form marble-sized meatballs with your hands.
• Note: Instead of frying the meatballs, bake Bake the meatball on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 350ºF until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the meatballs to the bowl with the bucatini. Add the mozzarella, parsley, and 2 cups of the tomato sauce. Stir to combine the ingredients well and set aside.
• Rinse and dry the eggplant slices.
• Heat the peanut oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant slices a few at a time until they soften, about 2 minutes on each side.
• Drain the slices on brown paper.
• Use additional oil if the pan seems dry.
• Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
• Line the prepared mold with the eggplant slices, draping them lengthwise over the bottom and overlapping them up the sides of the mold. There should be about a 3-inch overhang over the top edges of the mold. Make sure there are no open spots and that the mold is completely lined with the slices.
• Spoon the bucatini mixture evenly in the mold, packing it down with a wooden spoon all the way around.
• Fold the overhanging slices of eggplant in over the top of the mold; the mixture should be completely encased by the eggplant.
• Spread 1/2 cup of the remaining tomato sauce over the top of the mold and sprinkle with the 1/4 cup Pecorino.
• Bake the timballo, uncovered, for 45 minutes. It is done when the timballo shrinks a bit along the sides and a knife will easily move along the sides.
• Remove the mold from the oven and loosely cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil. Let the mold stand for 20 minutes.
• Heat the remaining tomato sauce. Remove the foil from the timballo and run a butter knife around the inside edges to loosen it. Place a serving dish larger than the mold over the top and carefully invert it onto the dish.
• Cut the timballo into wedges and serve with additional sauce on the side.
• Tip: Use fresh mozzarella cheese, but if it is not available, substitute pasteurized.

PASTA TIMBALLO LAYERED WITH EGGPLANT, BOLOGNESE RAGU, HARDBOILED EGG AND SCAMORZA CHEESE

Steps:

• To assemble, brush bottom of clay bowl* or oven-proof bowl with olive oil. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly around surface. Place half eggplant strips in the clay all around circumference, with half laying over sides of clay. In a mixing bowl toss pasta with egg, bolognese, basil, and pecorino cheese together. Season with salt and pepper (you may add garlic here, red pepper flakes, etc). Place the mixture in the clay. Top with rest of the sliced eggplant and close top with the overhang of eggplant. Remember to start at the opening so each slice closes the other. Spread tomato sauce over the eggplant slices and then spread with grated scamorza cheese. Lightly oil the top. Bake in the oven at 325 degrees F for about 1 hour. (See Cook's Note)
• Bolognese Ragu:
• Cook the pancetta in a heavy bottom pan over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, fat should begin to render Add the chopped vegetables and cook 3 minutes until onion becomes tender and vegetables wilting.
• Add the ground meat, and turn heat to medium. Brown the meat, cooking 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the wine and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low, cook 1 1/2 hours, stirring continuously.
• Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.