# Timpano di Maccheroni Timpano di Maccheroni takes 5 hr (2 hr prep, 3 hr cooking) and serves 12. Recipe by thegutsygourmet.net · original: https://www.thegutsygourmet.net/timpano.html Cuisine: Italian · Dish: Pasta, Bakes & casseroles On Meez: https://meezenplace.app/recipes/timpano-di-maccheroni-recipe (with step-by-step Cook Mode) A legendary Italian baked pasta pie, combining ragu, meatballs, chicken, chicken livers, and mozzarella wrapped in a savory pastry crust—an impressive dish that takes several hours to prepare but rewards with an unforgettable feast. ## Ingredients (serves 12) - 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered - 1 stalk celery, washed and roughly chopped - 1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped - 4 cloves garlic, peeled - 4 Tbs. flat-leaf Italian parsley - 2 Tbs. Olive oil - 3 cups dry red wine - 4 Sweet Italian sausages - 2 cups All-purpose flour - ½ cup (2 sticks) frozen, unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tbs. pieces - pinch (scant 1/4 tsp.) salt - ½ cup bread crumbs - 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped - 4 Tbs. flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano - Olive oil - 1 Tbs. unsalted butter - 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped - 4 chicken livers, all visible fat removed - 2 Tbs. cognac - 2 Tbs. unsalted butter - 2 chicken breasts, skin removed - juice from 1/2 lemon - 2 Tbs. flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped - 1 cup frozen baby peas - 2 large eggs, hardboiled and quartered lengthwise - ½ lb fresh Mozzarella, cut into irregular 1/4 inch slices - Freshly grated Parmigiano - 2 oz pancetta - 1 lb "Country-style" pork spare ribs - 2 large eggs - ½ lb ground beef - 1 large egg - salt & freshly ground black pepper - 5 oz Can tomato paste - 29 oz Can Italian plum tomatoes - ½ cup dry white wine - 1 lb penne rigate or ziti ## Steps 1. Peel and quarter the onion, roughly chop the celery and carrot, and peel the garlic cloves 2. Hard-boil the eggs, then quarter them lengthwise once cooled 3. Combine the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, pancetta, and parsley in a food processor and pulse about ten times, one second per pulse 4. Heat a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, then add the chopped vegetable mixture (battuto) 5. Lower the heat and sauté until the vegetables soften and brown very lightly 6. Add the pork ribs to the pot, cover, and cook over low heat 7. Uncover the pot, raise the heat to high, and add the red wine 8. Allow the wine to boil to burn off the alcohol 9. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer gently until the wine has reduced to about 1 cup 10. Remove the pork ribs and reserve for another purpose 11. Whisk the tomato paste into the pot, then add the plum tomatoes, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes to combine with the wine reduction and tomato paste 12. Add the sausages to the pot, cover, and cook over low heat for one more hour 13. Remove the sausages, cool, cut them into fourths, and reserve 14. Combine the flour, butter, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse about ten times, one second per pulse 15. Add the eggs and run the machine steadily until a ball forms and just begins to clean the sides of the bowl 16. If the dough seems too soft, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour and run the machine for five or six seconds to recombine; if too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of ice water and do the same 17. Turn the dough ball out onto plastic wrap, cover tightly, and refrigerate 18. Mix together the ground beef, egg, and bread crumbs, then stir in the garlic, parsley, and Parmigiano, and season with salt and pepper 19. Form the ground beef mixture into balls about the size of golf balls, making seven to nine balls total 20. Heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom to a depth of about 1/4 inch 21. Add the meatballs and sauté all over until browned with a slight crust 22. Remove the meatballs, drain on paper towels, and reserve 23. Heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the butter 24. When melted and foam subsides, add the shallot and cook until wilted 25. Pat the chicken livers dry, season with salt and pepper, and add to the pan 26. Cook on each side until no trace of pink remains and they are browned slightly 27. Carefully add the cognac, tilt the pan to ignite or ignite with a match, and cook, swirling, until flames subside 28. Remove the chicken livers and reserve with their sauce 29. Heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the butter 30. When melted and foam subsides, add the shallot and cook until wilted 31. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and add to the pan 32. Cook until the first side begins to brown and edges whiten, then turn and repeat 33. Raise the heat to high, add the white wine, and boil to burn off the alcohol 34. Reduce heat to medium, add the lemon juice and parsley, and reduce the liquid to about two to three tablespoons 35. Remove the chicken breasts and reserve with their sauce 36. Remove the pastry dough from the refrigerator and divide into two portions, one slightly larger than the other 37. Return the smaller portion to the refrigerator 38. Lightly flour a board or countertop, then roll the larger pastry portion into a rough circle approximately 14-15 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick 39. Thoroughly butter the bottom and sides of a 10-12 inch springform pan, place the dough in the pan, pressing to flatten the bottom and up the sides 40. Trim the top edge, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 41. Remove the second portion of dough from the refrigerator and roll into a roughly formed circle approximately 10-12 inches in diameter 42. Place on a floured sheet pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 43. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta 44. Cook the penne (or ziti) until al dente, drain, and reserve 45. While the pasta is cooking, slice the chicken breasts diagonally into 1/2-inch to 1-inch strips 46. Remove the pastry shell from the refrigerator and assemble all the ingredients necessary for final assembly 47. Place a layer of pasta in the bottom of the pastry shell, about 1 inch deep 48. Ladle about 1 cup of the ragu evenly over the pasta, then sprinkle half the peas over that 49. Arrange half the sausages, meatballs, chicken breast strips, chicken livers, hard-boiled eggs, and mozzarella on top of the pasta, then sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano and chopped parsley 50. Repeat the layering process with the remainder of the pasta, ragu, peas, sausages, meatballs, chicken breast strips, chicken livers, hard-boiled eggs, mozzarella, and Parmigiano 51. Reserve enough ragu for one final coating before attaching the top crust 52. Pour any accumulated juices from the chicken breasts and chicken livers over the pasta before sealing with the top crust 53. Remove the top crust from the refrigerator, place on top of the springform pan, trim the edges, then pinch the top and bottom crusts together with your fingers 54. Make two or three 1-inch slits in the top crust to vent steam 55. Place in the center of the preheated 350°F oven and bake until the pastry is well browned, ingredients heated through, and cheese melted 56. Remove the sides from the springform pan, place the Timpano on a platter, and serve at the table ## Good to know ### Swaps - No cognac for the chicken livers? Brandy works the same way for deglazing and flaming the pan. - No pancetta? Diced bacon can stand in for the battuto's richness. ### Storing it Refrigerate leftover slices in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Reheat in a low oven, covered so the crust doesn't burn, until the filling is steaming hot. ### Making it ahead The ragu, meatballs, chicken, chicken livers and pastry dough can each be made up to a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge until you're ready to assemble.