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Food

Timballo di Pasta Recipe

Like spaghetti carbonara? Then you'll love this baked version (bonus: it's served doused in marinara).
Timballo di Pasta Recipe

Servings: 6-8
Prep time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 hours

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves , minced
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 (28-ounce|794-gram) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups|473 ml whole milk
1 pound|454 grams spaghetti
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 pound|454 grams fresh mozzarella, cubed
8 ounces|227 grams grated mozzarella
12 ounces|340 grams shaved ham
3 large eggs
4 ounces|113 grams grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Make the marinara sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add the garlic and onion and cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the sugar, and the tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thick, 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
  3. Make the béchamel sauce: Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium. Add in the flour and cook for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add in the milk. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 15 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook, stirring, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  5. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with 2 tablespoons of the parmesan and the parsley and add it to the bowl with the pasta, along with ¾ of the remaining parmesan, the peas, the cubed mozzarella, ¾ of the grated mozzarella, and half of the shaved ham. Stir in the béchamel sauce and season with salt and pepper.
  6. To assemble, layer half of the pasta mixture in the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Top with 1 cup of marinara sauce and half of the remaining ham. Layer on the remaining half of the pasta mixture and top that with the remaining cheeses and ham.
  7. Bake the timbale for about 1 hour, or until the top is golden. Cool slightly, then cut into wedges. Serve topped with marinara sauce and more parmesan cheese.

From The Pizza Show: Chicago

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