Timpano Alla Cardinale, for a special, Big Night.

The Timpano was really the main character in the movie “The Big Night”. If you have not see it, I strongly recommend you watch this love story with food. In the end, it’s all about love, family, and food. Also, Federico Fellini said: Life is combination of Pasta and Magic.

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

So, here I am, giving you the tools to create your own Magic, Big night. The food will be the guest of honor, and it will be dressed as a Timpano.

The Timpano (also known as Timballo) is a traditional Italian baked dish of pasta. The traditional one, in the movie, is covered by a thin dough. The Timpano alla Cardinale, is red. Cardinal Red, that is. For this dish we use a quintessential Italian Ingredient: Tomatoes. I know, strange…..since we didn’t have tomatoes in Italy before the 1600s.

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

Oh well, we sure made up for it.

Hence, I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do. I know it is a little time consuming, but don’t worry. I can see my friends Kirk and Paul cooking it to perfection, their kitchen in disarray with tools and ingredients, music from the movie’s soundtrack playing,  while they sip a good glass of wine. This is how it should be done.

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

Besides THE Julia said: “I always cook with wine, and sometimes I even add it to the food”

Cheers!

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

Level: medium

Time: 6 hours including cooling time

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

A spring form pan of 8″ in diameter

Wax paper and cooking spry (or melted butter)

About 15 large tomatoes, fresh

100 g breadcrumbs, unseasoned (I used about twice the amount since I also used them for decorating the dishes)

1 T oregano

1 T dry onion flakes

1 t garlic powder

Fresh basil, a bunch

2 lg cloves of garlic

100 g olive oil

2 T tomato paste

300 g fresh mozzarella, drained on a paper towel

300 g of short pasta, undercooked

Capers: optional

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse and cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds and collect them in a casserole. Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle them all (lightly) with salt. Reserve, for about 1 hour. While the tomatoes rest, stir the breadcrumbs with the Oregano, Onion flakes, garlic powder and half of the olive oil. Set aside.

Combine the tomato seeds with the capers, if using. Minced garlic, half of the olive oil, and half of the basil.

Cook down on medium heat. Stirring once in a while. When most of the tomato water has reduced, add the tomato paste. Keep cooking until you get a thick sauce- like consistency.

Taste for salt and pepper. Add the remaining chopped basil.

While the sauce is cooking and reducing, cook the pasta in plenty salted boiling water. (needs to taste like the ocean)

NOTE: the pasta will be in the oven for an additional 30 minutes, so do NOT over cook it.

I boiled mine for about 4 to 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta, lightly coat it with oil and then in the tomato sauce.

NOTE: I figure that with so much tomato on the outside it would be ok for the sauce to be less tomato-ey. In case you like it, though, feel free to add extra tomato sauce! Rules are made to be broken, right Kirk?!

Transfer the sauced pasta to a large bowl. Once it is lightly cooled, add the diced mozzarella. Set aside.

Back to the tomatoes.

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

After the resting time, they will have produced a lot of water in their cavities. Toss the water, it’s very salty!

Now sprinkle the tomatoes with the breadcrumb mix into the cavities. Flip them over and bake them at 350F for about 1 hour.  They will become soft and should not color too much, neither become so soft to easily fall apart.

Let them cool until you can handle working with them.

Using Wax paper, line the bottom and the sides of the spring form pan. Spry with non stick or coat in oil or butter.

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

STARTING at the base where the side meets the bottom, arrange the tomatoes half way in between.CUT SIDE facing you. Repeat for the whole diameter, then fill in the bottom, tightly but neatly.

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

Working one row of tomatoes at a time, or they will fall back on the pan. alternate a layer of pasta and then more tomatoes. Imagine of building a solid concrete wall :). Fill in the gaps with the breadcrumbs.

Do not press the pasta too much. If you have leftovers, enjoy them later. Do not try to compact it all in there.

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE
I must confess: the baked tomatoes were so juicy and delicious, I had to eat some while prepping the dish…then I realized I did not have enough to cover the bottom aka the top of the dish. Thank goodness for the breadcrumbs! Do not be like Rosa, save the tomatoes! 🙂

Finally arrange any tomatoes left on the top, which will be the bottom of your Timpano once unmolded.

Place in a warm oven at 350 and bake for about 30 minutes.

Cover lightly in foil, and let it rest until it reaches almost room temperature.

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

If you try to flip it or cut it while hot, you get yourself a messy dish…..still good though!!

 

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

 

There! Easy as ….pasta Pie!

Enjoy!

TIMPANO ALLA CARDINALE

Pubblicato da growingupitalian

Salve! Vivo tra due mondi, ma con i piedi per terra. E' un lusso poter scegliere il meglio di entrambi. La vita mi ha fatto questo regalo, e lo voglio condividere con Voi!! Sono nata negli anni 60 in Italia. Il mondo della televisione in Bianco e Nero, senza cibi GMO, senza smart phones. La mia infanzia e' stata costellata di persone incredibili e memorie indelebili della mia famiglia. Ora, 50 anni dopo e 10 mila km di distanza apparte, tutte queste memorie hanno contribuito ad arricchire la mia vita ..dopotutto, una ragazza puo' lasciare l'Italia, ma l'Italia non lasciam mai le sue ragazze!.Hello all. I live in between two worlds (USA and Italy) but I'm really grounded. I believe it's a luxury to be able to pick and choose the best of both. I've been given that gift and I'm sharing it with you. I was born in the 60's in Italy. Black and White pictures, no GMO, no tablets, no computers or cell phones. My childhood was starred by people and memories. It sure takes a village to raise a child...and a great family. I was blessed to have all of the above. Now, fast forward 50 years, 10,000 kilometers away. My life is richer than ever because of my upbringing. I have stories...lots of stories I will share with you. Afterall, A GIRL might leave Italy, but Italy NEVER leaves the girl!

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