Timballo is a popular, if labor-intensive dish from Italy.
The name of this drum-shaped baked casserole comes from the French word “timbale,” which means “kettledrum.” The French word in turn has its origin in Arabic, which in turn evokes the giant drums used by the Janissaries, elite soldiers of the Ottoman Empire. The metal drums were used for sound as well as cooking.
Throughout Italy, its other names include “bomba” and “timpano.” Some readers may recall the popular 1996 movie “Big Night,” directed by Campbell Scot and Stanley Tucci, in which Italian immigrants in New Jersey prepare a timpano. This movie made the dish very popular in the United States.Timballo is traditionally prepared in a deep, round copper bowl, filled with a range of ingredients most often encased in a pasta crust and baked. There are so many recipes for timballo, and a cook’s imagination can guide you. The filling can have endless variations of ingredients, while the outer crust can be made from pasta, rice, or even sliced vegetables.
This recipe is based on Sicilian cuisine, a familiar variation prepared by this writer.
You’ll need a 10-inch springform pan, for easy unmolding, or a 5-quart round casserole dish. The crust is made from a thin layer of fresh pasta sheets, briefly boiled and used to line the pan. The filling is a mix of more pasta—cooked penne, in this case—coated in a rich tomato-meat sauce made with sweet Italian sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, olives, and basil. Before sealing the mixture, you’ll add a layer of smoked mozzarella that will turn soft and creamy in the oven.
After being baked and unmolded, the finished dish is one that will surely impress. The texture might remind you of lasagna, and the taste is layered and rich, due to the number and variety of ingredients used—a delightful kettledrum of mixed goodies to break into and enjoy.
Timballo Siciliano
Serves 6
