We all know what a timbale is: a baked pasta made with various ingredients – such as rice, pasta, meat, or vegetables. But have you ever tried it in its ‘alla ciociara’ version?
La Ciociaria is a region south of Rome, which roughly coincides with the province of Frosinone. A true and genuine land, this where the timbale alla ciociara comes from – a dish of historically peasant cuisine that you can always find at the table during Sunday lunch.
If you want to make it at home, find the original recipe for the dish below, then browse our photo gallery to discover some of our suggestions for tastier variations. Buon appetito!
The Recipe: Timbale alla Ciociara
Ingredients:
1 lb flour
6 eggs
1 lb mixed minced meat
3 peeled and mashed tomatoes
½ onion
½ cup wine
Basil
1 whole mozzarella
4 oz grated parmesan cheese
½ oz butter
Oil
Salt and pepper to taste.
Method:
First you’ll need to make the fresh egg pasta. Create a fountain with the flour, breaking 4 eggs in the center, adding a pinch of salt. Knead well, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let it rest, then roll it out into a fine sheet, cutting it into large squares. In the meantime, make the filling: Fry the sliced onion in a pan, followed by the minced meat. Add the wine and once it has evaporated, add the peeled and mashed tomatoes. At this point, add some basil leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook the meat sauce over medium heat for about an hour.
In the meantime, boil the fresh pasta sheets and drain al dente. Freshen them with cool water and let them drain on a wet cloth. Then boil the remaining eggs until hard-boiled.
Now it’s time to assemble the various ingredients: In an ovenproof baking dish, first add a layer of meat sauce, followed by a layer of pasta. Then add more meat sauce, a few slices of mozzarella, some slices of boiled eggs and a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese. Repeat three more times. Finish with the meat sauce, mozzarella, parmesan cheese and, finally some butter curls. Bake au gratin in the oven at 300°F for about 30 minutes.