Italian Timballo baked

Ingredients

• 500 g Pasta (penne or rigatoni) (cooked 2 min before al dente cooking)
• 500 ml Tomato passata (or tomato coulis)
• 1 unité Onion (peeled and finely chopped)
• 3 c. à soupe Olive oil (for sautéing the onion)
• 150 g Frozen peas (added to the sauce at the end of cooking)
• 100 g Stale bread (cut into cubes and rehydrated with water)
• 2 c. à soupe Flat parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 unité Garlic clove (crushed and chopped)
• 100 g Mortadella (cut into very small dice)
• 300 g Ground meat (beef‑pork) (for the meatballs)
• 70 g Grated Parmesan (plus extra for finishing)
• 1 unité Egg (to bind the filling)
• 250 g Mozzarella (drained, pressed to remove excess water)
• 30 g Butter (to grease the pan)
• 100 g Breadcrumbs (for the bottom and sides of the pan)
• à goût Salt
• à goût Black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the tomato sauce

   Sauté the chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the passata, season with salt and pepper, then simmer covered for 10 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and cook an additional 2 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

2. Rehydrate the stale bread

   Cut the stale bread into cubes, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let absorb for 5 minutes, then squeeze with your hands to remove as much water as possible.

   Time: PT5M

3. Prepare the meatball filling

   In a food processor or by hand, finely chop the parsley and garlic. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, rehydrated bread, diced mortadella, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper. Knead until you obtain a homogeneous filling.

   Time: PT22M

4. Shape and cook the meatballs

   Form meatballs the size of a hazelnut. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in the non‑stick skillet and cook the meatballs over medium heat, turning regularly, until golden (about 10 minutes). Set aside on paper towels.

   Time: PT10M

5. Par‑cook the pasta

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package, so they remain firm inside the timballo. Drain and rinse with cold water.

   Time: PT8M

6. Prepare the pan

   Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 22 cm springform pan. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and tap to evenly coat the bottom and edges.

   Time: PT5M

7. Assemble the timballo

   Pour half of the pasta into the pan and press down with the back of a spoon. Add the previously pressed and drained mozzarella, then distribute the cooked meatballs (without sauce). Cover with the remaining pasta, press again, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan and dot with a few small pieces of butter.

   Time: PT10M

8. Bake

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the timballo for 40 minutes until the top is nicely golden.

   Time: PT40M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Cool

   Remove the timballo from the oven and let rest at least 30 minutes at room temperature before unmolding.

   Time: PT30M

10. Unmold and garnish

    Carefully run a thin spatula around the pan, flip the timballo onto a serving plate. Arrange the reserved meatballs with a little tomato sauce in the center of the bottom, add a few peas for garnish.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

460

Protein

22 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Pasta (penne or rigatoni): fusilli, macaroni
• Instead of Tomato passata: crushed tomatoes, homemade tomato sauce
• Instead of Onion: shallot
• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Frozen peas: fresh peas
• Instead of Stale bread: breadcrumbs
• Instead of Flat parsley: coriander
• Instead of Garlic clove: garlic powder
• Instead of Mortadella: cooked ham, mild salami
• Instead of Ground meat (beef‑pork): veal, ground turkey
• Instead of Grated Parmesan: pecorino romano
• Instead of Egg: flax egg (1 tbsp + 3 tbsp water)
• Instead of Mozzarella: burrata, raclette cheese
• Instead of Butter: olive oil
• Instead of Breadcrumbs: panko

Equipment Needed

• Non‑stick skillet
• Pot for pasta
• Colander
• Mixing bowl
• Food processor or manual chopper (optional)
• Wooden spatula
• Round springform pan (22 cm)
• Parchment paper (optional)
• Aluminum foil (optional)
• Oven
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Cheese grater

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Sauté the onion without burning it
• Achieve a smooth, non‑sticky filling
• Cook the meatballs until golden
• Fully coat the bottom and sides of the pan with breadcrumbs
• Bake until a golden crust forms
• Rest for 30 minutes before unmolding

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use stale country bread for more texture in the filling.
• Add a pinch of grated nutmeg to the filling for a subtle aromatic note.
• Lightly sprinkle sweet paprika on top before baking for a deeper color.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the sliced timballo in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Wrap the whole timballo tightly for up to 2 months.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The tomato sauce can be made a day ahead and reheated.
• The meatballs can be shaped and frozen before cooking.
• The timballo can be assembled the day before and kept in the refrigerator before final baking.