For the pasta:
Timballo di Orecchiette al Forno- Pasta
Author: Pizza Today
Ingredients
- 14 ounces dried orecchiette pasta
Instructions
- Heat 3.5 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of sea salt in a pot to boiling.
- Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes making sure the pasta is al dente. (The pasta will be cooked later also.)
- Reserve one cup of the pasta water to add to the sauce and drain pasta in a colander.
- Reserve for later.
For the sauce:
Timballo di Orecchiette al Forno Sauce
Author: Pizza Today
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup onions
- 3 tablespoons minced carrot
- 3 tablespoons minced celery
- 6 ounces ground pork sausage
- 6 ounces ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 12 ounces chopped tomato in puree (do not use tomatoes in water)
- ¼ teaspoon fennel pollen or ground fennel seed
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano
- ½ ball Burrata cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil on medium-high heat and place the onions in the pan.
- Once they start to simmer, place the carrot and celery in the pan.
- Turn heat to medium low and sweat the vegetables for 12 minutes.
- Turn heat to medium high again and add the beef and pork sausage to the pan in small amounts, chopping the chunks as they brown.
- Add the tablespoon of salt to mea, then add the red wine, red pepper flakes, pollen, oregano to simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and simmer on medium low for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If the meat is too chunky, use a metal spatula to break it up.) The sauce should have thickened considerably.
- Turn the heat off and reserve.
For the eggplant:
Timballo di Orecchiette al Forno Eggplant
Author: Pizza Today
Ingredients
- One medium, less bulbous, eggplant with straight sides
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cut 4 slices from the center of the eggplant measuring just over ¼ inch thick.
- Lay the slices down and lightly sprinkle them with the see salt on both sides for 5 minutes to bleed moisture.
- Using a paper towel, soak up the eggplant moisture from each side.
- Place the flour on a small plate and dredge each eggplant slice into the flour by pressing down.
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan on high heat.
- Just before the olive oil begins smoking, place the eggplant in the oil and fry for 3 minutes on each side to just browned.
- Remove and reserve.
- Final assembly and bake:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
- Mix 1 cup of the now-cooled pasta with 1 cup of the now-warm pasta sauce and ½ cup of the Pecorino Romano and 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil in a bowl and toss together.
- On a baking parchment-lined tray, place a 3 ¾ inch diameter round mold (also called cutters).
- Then place the first slice of eggplant inside. (if your slices are too big or small use one size up or down in mold. This mold is to just keep the chunky sauce and pasta from falling out.)
- Top the first slice with 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta mix making ¾ of an inch in between the slices.
- Continue with other slices until the fourth slice. You may raise the ring mold up as you finish the last filling. Leave the last slice as the top or lid.
- Carefully remove the ring and place the tray into the oven for 15 minutes.
- Heat up some tomato sauce for the plate. Pick some basil buds for garnish.
- After the bake, remove the Timballe and place on the warmed pasta sauce.
- Rip the burrata in half with your fingers and place strips (Stracciatella) from half of the ball on top of the eggplant.
- Garnish with coarse sea salt, grated Pecorino and basil buds.
