Timpano Di Maccheroni The Mythic Pasta Dome Food

TIMPANO DI MACCHERONI (THE MYTHIC PASTA DOME)

Steps:

• To make the dough: Place the flour on a wooden work surface, make a well in the top.
• Cut the lard or other fat into ¼-inch pieces and place in the center of the well with the yolks, ½ teaspoon salt, and a teaspoon of ice water.
• Mix well with the tips of your fingers to form a lumpy mass.
• Bring together as a dough and knead for 4-5 minutes.
• Wrap in plastic and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375-degrees.
• Roll out pasta to a large circle ¼-inch thick.
• Butter the metal bowl and dust thickly with the toasted bread crumbs.
• Line the buttered dish completely with the sheet of pasta, with a 1 ½-inch edge overhang.
• Boil 6 quarts of water in a large pasta pot, then add 2 Tablespoons of salt.
• Cook the rigatoni/ziti in the boiling water, 3 minutes less than the package instructions state.
• Drain and refresh under cold running water, or an ice bath, until cold, 2-3 minutes.
• Toss with olive oil, and set aside.
• Mix half of the cooked rigatoni/ziti with 2 ½ cups meat sauce and ½ cup of Parmiagiano, and set aside.
• Mix the remaining cooked rigatoni with half of the Besciamella, ¼ cup of Parmigiano, the prosciutto, and nutmeg.
• (Cook's Note: I probably didn't add quite as much sauce as the recipe suggests, just added enough until it looked right.) Place this besciamella-sauced rigatoni/ziti into the bowl, and press lightly.
• Sprinkle with some of the grated Parmigiano, I added a good layer.
• Arrange the meatballs on top in an even layer, and press down again.
• Sprinkle with more Parmigiano.
• Spread the meat-sauced pasta over the meatballs and press down gently.
• Fold the extra pasta over the whole thing, and press gently to seal.
• Cover the open top with foil and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and invert onto a large serving platter, without removing the bowl.
• Allow to rest 10 minutes, then carefully loosen the pasta around the sides with a knife and knock with your knuckles to release the bowl.
• (Mine slid right out without a problem.) Serve immediately with the remaining shredded Parmigiano on the side, cutting the timpano into wedges to serve.

TIMPANO: A LA "BIG NIGHT" POSTED BY REQUEST

Steps:

• To make dough, place flour, eggs, salt, and olive oil into a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 3 tbs of the water and process. Add more water 1 tbs at a time until mixture comes together and forms a ball. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead to make sure it is well mixed; set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
• Flatten dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust top of dough with flour and roll out until it is about 1/16 inch thick and desired diameter.
• Generously grease baking pan with butter and olive oil. Fold dough in half then in half again to form a triangle, then place in the pan. Open dough and arrange it in the pan, gently pressing it on the bottom and sides letting the excess hang over the edge of pan; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• To Prepare filling, have all ingredients at room temperature except pasta. Toss drained pasta with the olive oil and 2 cups of the sauce. Put 6 generous cups of pasta into the bottom of the timpano. Top with 1 cup of the salami, 1 cup of the provolone, 6 of the hard boiled eggs, 1 cup of the meatballs, and 1/3 cup of the Ramano cheese.
• Pour 2 cups of sauce over the top. Top with 6 cups of remaining pasta, and then the remaining salami, provolone, hard boiled eggs, meatballs and ramano cheese. Pour on 2 cups of the sauce. Top with remaining pasta, and the remaining sauce over that.Pour the beaten eggs over the filling.
• Fold the dough over the filling and seal completely. Trim away and discard any double layers of dough.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 1 hour. Then cover with foil and and continue baking until timpano is cooked through and dough is golden brown, reaching an internal temp of 120°F Remove from oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes or more. The baked timpano should not be attached to the pan, if any part is stuck, gently cut loose with a knife.Carefully invert timpano onto a serving platter. Remove pan and allow to cool for an additional 20 minutes or more. Using a long sharp knife, cut a circle about 3 inches diameter in the center of the timpano making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Slice the timpano as you would a pie into serving size portions leaving center in place for support for remaining pieces.

RAGU NAPOLETANO (NEAPOLITAN MEAT SAUCE)

Steps:

• In a large pasta pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil until smoking.
• Season the veal and beef with salt and pepper to taste and sear 5 or 6 pieces at a time over medium heat, until dark golden brown.
• Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining meat chunks (if using ground chuck, be sure to drain any excess grease from pan).
• Add the onion to the pan and sauté, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits.
• Cook until the onions are golden brown and very soft, about 10 minutes.
• Add the wine, browned meat chunks, tomatoes, sausages, and pepper flakes and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 2 ½-3 hours, stirring occasionally and skimming off the fat as necessary.
• Remove from the heat and remove meat and sausages from sauce.
• Cover well and save for another meal.
• Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and allow to cool.