Timballo

Serves: 4

Cecile Bahringer

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

50

Spice

50

Sweetness

51

Sourness

42

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.5

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 tsp

Salt

1 tbsp

Tomato Paste

1360 g

Ziti

1.5 tbsps

Unsalted Butter

1 cup

Whole Milk

1 tsp

White Pepper

Directions:

1

Cover bottom of dish with a single layer of pasta

2

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

3

Add onion and bay leaf and sauté, stirring frequently, until onion begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes

4

Add carrot, celery, and salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes

5

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

6

Add tomato purée and sugar and boil, stirring frequently, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes

7

Cool sauce and discard bay leaf

8

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

9

Add onion and bay leaf and sauté, stirring frequently, until onion begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes

10

Add carrot, celery, and salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes

11

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

12

Add tomato purée and sugar and boil, stirring frequently, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes

13

Cool sauce and discard bay leaf

14

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

15

Cool pasta, spread in a baking pan, to warm

16

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

17

Cool pasta, spread in a baking pan, to warm

18

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

19

Drain chard and squeeze handfuls, then finely chop

20

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

21

Add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute, then add milk in a slow stream, whisking

22

Bring to a boil, whisking

23

Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes

24

Stir in chard, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano, then remove pan from heat

25

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

26

Drain chard and squeeze handfuls, then finely chop

27

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

28

Add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute, then add milk in a slow stream, whisking

29

Bring to a boil, whisking

30

Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes

31

Stir in chard, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano, then remove pan from heat

32

Assemble and bake timballo: Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F

33

Oil soufflé dish and line bottom with a round of parchment paper, then oil parchment

34

Cover bottom of dish with a single layer of pasta

35

Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and 3 tablespoons Parmigiano over pasta, then spoon half of meat sauce in an even layer over cheese

36

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)

37

Sprinkle with remainder of cheeses, then spoon remaining meat sauce over cheese

38

Top with remaining pasta

39

(You may have pasta left over

40

) Cover pasta with an oiled round of parchment (oiled side down) and cover dish with foil

41

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

42

Remove soufflé dish from water bath and let stand, covered, 15 minutes

43

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

44

Remove soufflé dish and remaining parchment

45

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F

46

Oil soufflé dish and line bottom with a round of parchment paper, then oil parchment

47

Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and 3 tablespoons Parmigiano over pasta, then spoon half of meat sauce in an even layer over cheese

48

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)

49

Sprinkle with remainder of cheeses, then spoon remaining meat sauce over cheese

50

Top with remaining pasta

51

(You may have pasta left over

52

) Cover pasta with an oiled round of parchment (oiled side down) and cover dish with foil

53

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

54

Remove soufflé dish from water bath and let stand, covered, 15 minutes

55

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

56

Remove soufflé dish and remaining parchment