ChEAT’s Timpano
This is not an everyday recipe and requires a lot of preparation. But trust me, the result is definitely worth it! This is ChEAT’s take on the famous Italian Timpano, or Timballo.
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Ingredients:
Dough
1kg Lamb Brand ‘00’ Plain Flour
2 Eggs
1pkt Stork Margarine
Cold Water (Just enough to form the dough)
1tsp Salt
Meatballs:
300g Pork Mince
300g Beef Mince
70g Maltese Sausage
30g Grated Parmeggiano Reggiano
Chopped Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Cheese Filling:
500g Ħanini Irkotta
20g Grated Parmeggiano Reggiano
1 Egg
Chopped Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Tomato Sauce:
1tsp Olitalia E/V Olive Oil
2 Chopped Carrots
2 Chopped Celery Sticks
1 Chopped Onion
500g Passata di Pomodoro
1tbsp Tomato Paste
Salt & Pepper
A Dash of Sugar
Other Fillings:
700g Rigatoni
200g Pasta Shells
200g Shredded Mozzarella
250g Smoked Maltese Sausage
8 Hard Boiled Eggs
Directions:
Start with the dough. In a food mixer or a large bowl combine the flour with the salt. Cut the margarine into small cubes and add it to the flour.
Start the mixer or mix with your hand until the texture becomes crumbly. Add the eggs and start adding the water slowly until a firm dough is formed.
Knead it on the kitchen top until it’s well combined, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
For the meatballs just combine all the ingredients and form them into small balls.
Now let’s prepare the cheese filling.
Combine all the ingredients and mix well with a fork. Refrigerate until needed.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add some salt and boil the pasta shells for 6 - 7 minutes.
Remove from the water and place them in a bowl.
After they cool down, fill them up with the cheese mixture and place them in the fridge.
Now let’s fry the meatballs and prepare the tomato sauce.
In a large saucepan fry the meatballs in a teaspoon of olive oil.
Fry until well browned and remove.
In the same saucepan add some more olive oil and fry the chopped onion together with the carrot and celery.
Fry until softened on a medium flame, and add the red wine.
This will help to remove all the meatball residue goodness from the saucepan.
Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, season to taste, and finish it off with a dash of sugar.
Lower the flame and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. The more you leave it, the thicker it gets.
Boil the rigatoni in plenty of salted water for 6 - 7 minutes.
Drain and place them in a large bowl.
Combine the sauce with the rigatoni.
Now it’s time to combine the Timpano.
Prepare your large pot/dish with baking paper. This will make things easier after it bakes.
Open the dough and line the pot.
Start filling it with a layer of rigatoni, mozzarella, the cheese shells, another layer of rigatoni, hard-boiled eggs, and the meatballs.
Finish off with the remaining rigatoni and smoked sausage.
Fold the dough inwards until it’s well sealed and place a piece of baking paper.
Cover with foil and bake at 190°c for 45 minutes, uncover and bake for another 45 minutes or until it’s nicely browned.
Let it stand for half an hour before flipping it on a chopping board.
Cut into wedges and serve.
Enjoy!
