Timpano Italian Pasta Dome

Name: Timpano Italian Pasta Dome
Prep time: 240 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 360 min
Ingredients: 4 cups Basic Tomato Sauce ((see attached recipe)); 12-15 Italian meatballs (cooked (see attached recipe)); 1.50 pounds Italian sausage (cooked and sliced on a diagonal); 2 pounds rigatoni pasta (cooked al dente); Dough (recipe below); 2 cups parmigiano-reggiano cheese (freshly grated ); 2 cups mozzarella cheese (grated); 6 hard-boiled eggs (sliced in quarters (optional)); Large metal bowl; 2 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (toasted seasoned ); 3 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin); 4 cloves garlic (peeled and thinly sliced); 1 onion (peeled whole yellow); 12-15 whole cloves (to stud the whole onion); 36 oz Canned tomatoes; 6 oz tomato paste; 1/2 cup red wine (dry); 1 tbsp sugar (or sugar alternative of choice); 1 tsp Italian seasoning (dried); Salt and pepper (to taste); 6 leaves basil (fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil); 5 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups whole milk; 2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 pound ground veal ((minced)); 1/2 pound ground pork ((minced)); 1 pound ground beef ((minced))

Last Updated: February 4, 2021 · Published: December 19, 2011 · 45 Comments

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Timpano Italian Pasta Dome is an outrageously delicious Italian pasta dish filled with layers of homemade meatballs, sausage, pasta, cheeses and marinara sauce wrapped up in a delicious butter crust.

Have you ever watched the movie, “Big Night”?

If you are a foodie and you have not yet seen it this movie, rent this movie over your holiday break. There is the famous scene from the movie where there is a large gathering in a restaurant. Everyone becomes silent as they bring out out to the main table the huge towering metal bowl on a rolling cart. The bowl lid is removed to reveal the ultimate Timpano Italian Pasta dome. There is a roar of applause and gasping as the staff cut into the master piece revealing the layers of pasta, meatballs, sausage, cheese, eggs and other goodies hidden inside the flaky crust of the dome. The scene ends with everyone in a food coma and crying because the meal was beyond their wildest dreams.

The Timpano Italian Pasta Dome is an EPIC meal. This recipe is not for the faint of heart and there is no way it can be made in 30 minutes or less. However, it will be a meal that will be talked about for ages to come. One bite and you will be hooked.

Imagine a bite of flaky crust and then savory tenter meatballs, sausage and aldente pasta and then all of the cheesy saucy goodness. In addition, the Timapano Italian Pasta Dome is a stunner! We highly recommend that you remove the bowl and cut it right at the table as it is a dramatic presentation.

The Timpano Italian Pasta Dome is a meal in itself. However a delicious Dried Cranberry Sugar Glazed Pecan Holiday Salad will take this meal over the top. While your guests are waiting for the big reveal, try our Feta Stuffed Mini Peppers or our Dairy Free Bolognese Polenta Bites

We have held on to this family tradition of making the Timpano Italian Pasta Dome for the last 25 years. Every year we learn something new while preparing this meal. We have learned more about each other as a family. We have bonded. We cherish the time together.

In addition, we have learned some tricks along the way to simplify the process and helpful hints to make you successful. Please excuse the older photos but each year we spent time with family and not on the photography.

Hints:

Cook your meatballs, Italian sausage, sauces and pasta the day before in advance.
If you are running low on time, you can use jarred pasta sauce. Of course homemade is better but we promise we won’t tell a soul.
Depending on the size of your bowl, you most likely will need to double your dough.
In these photos we have shown the process of just making one large rolled out pasta dough sheet. However, this is harder to control. You might wish to make one sheet for the bottom of the bowl and a smaller dough sheet to cover the bottom.
Get the dough as thin as possible without it tearing as you don’t want to bite into a huge hunk of dough, keep it thin.
Egg to flour ratio for your dough will depend on the size of your eggs. You may need to add more egg or a little cold water to get your dough to pull together.
Do not get your pasta too saturated with sauce as then it will cause your Timpano Italian Pasta dome to collapse. It is better to serve a little extra sauce on the side.
You will be tempted to cut the pasta dome right away…WRONG! Don’t do it. Leave the pasta dome rest under the metal bowl for at least 1/2 hour. Longer is better as it allows the cheeses to hold the dome together.
Between each layer of pasta and meats and cheese, press it down to get out as much air as a possible so it is very compact.
You may need to lay over a sheet of aluminum foil over the flat part of the bowl in the last hour of baking so that the dough does not get too browned.
Allow yourself plenty of time to assemble the Timpano Italian Pasta Dome as it takes longer than you think. Having extra pairs of hands to help you assemble is a very good thing.
Be sure to use a serrated knife or super sharp knife to cut your masterpiece.
Leftovers if you have any rock. You can freeze the rest for a rainy day.
Take lots of instagram photos and be sure to tag us @hwcmagazine or #hwcmagazine. Be sure to follow us on instagram

We have a family tradition of making this Timpano Italian Pasta Dome together each Christmas and enjoying the holiday spirit. This recipe is quite labour intensive, but it worth every bite. From Healthy World Cuisine Kitchen to yours may your holidays always be happy and bright.