Un Timballo di Pasta con Pesce di Raspo

This recipe is an adaptation from one of the most gorgeous cookbooks in my collection called Venezia food & dreams. by Tessa Kiros.  

Timballo of Monkfish in Bechamel
and Passato di Pomodoro

A Timballo is an ancient musical instrument resembling a drum, i.e., a timpani. Therefore, the shape of the Timballo is used here to signify a culinary drum. Sometimes the drum is formed with very long ziti shaped noodles with large holes in the center, but can also be formed with sheets of pasta which line the borders of a rather large oven-proof bowl or souffle dish or even a casserole dish with a cover. However, lining the casserole is probably the last step of the process in making this very imaginative and beautiful dish. 

This dish calls for the marriage of fish, Bechamel and a passato di pomodoro which is then mixed with a variety of different shaped pastas which are then placed inside the lining of the casserole. It can, however, be made with any variety of ingredients, including tomatoes, eggplant, or any other assortment of vegetables. In some recipes, especially in the South and in Sicily, the lining of the timballo is made with very thin slices of eggplant that are dusted with semolina to create a crust after baking.

For my timballo, you will need enough freshly rolled out pasta to encase a large casserole dish with pasta dough (about 5 large, long sheets).

Pasta Dough

3 cups flour

2 eggs

6 egg yolks

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Passato di Pomodoro

1/2 lb. Monkfish, cut into medallions

3 lbs. fresh tomatoes (a mixture of fresh Heirlooms, San Marzano and Plum Tomatoes) coarsely chopped in a mini food processor or with a large chef's knife

EVOO

1/4 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 cloves smashed garlic

1 cup dry white wine

8-10 fronds Saffron soaked in 3 tbsp. white wine

4-6 whole sprigs of fresh thyme

3-4 tsp. tomato paste (if necessary)

salt and pepper to taste

Bechamel Sauce

4 Tbsp. Unsallted Butter

4 Tbsp. Flour

3 cups whole Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Nutmeg

1/2 cup Gruyere

1 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano or a mixture of both

8-10 slices of soft Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola

1/2 lb. Penne or any other macaroni made from Farro

3/4 lb. Wide noodled pasta with crinkly edges, resembling Pappardelle

Mix the flour and all other ingredients for the pasta in a food processor until a ball forms and rolls around the canister of the food processor. Remove from container, put in a metal or ceramic bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. This can then be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated overnight or saved until you are ready to build the Timballo.

A slice of Timballo

Sauté the onions and garlic in the melted butter and olive oil. Add the tomatoes and cook on high heat, stirring frequently to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme, the saffron soaked in wine and the white wine and cook until everything liquifies. Add the monkfish and cook at moderately high heat and reduce to simmer. You may need to add the tomato paste and some water to thicken the sauce. Let simmer until the sauce reduces to a very thick paste. Take the entire contents of the passato, including the monkfish and process into a paste in a food processor.

In a medium sized pot, warm milk to the simmer (do not let it come to the boil). While the milk is heating, melt the butter in a larger sized pot, add the flour and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon and allow to incorporate into a smooth paste. Cook over moderate heat until the roux thickens and begins to take on the color and aroma of nuts. By this time, the milk should be almost at the boil. Remove from heat and pour all of it into the roux. Keep on the fire and whisk vigorously until well incorporated and let boil for 5 or 6 seconds. The sauce will be very thick. Salt and pepper to taste. Add a few gratings of nutmeg and then add the cheese. The sauce will thicken and take on a very cheesy and glossy consistency. Incorporate the fish mixture with the Bechamel and set aside but keep warm.

Take a large pot of water, bring it to the boil. Salt the water and add both dry pastas and cook for about 10 minutes. You want it very al dente. It should be by no means cooked when you drain the pasta. Transfer the pasta back to the pot and add some butter to lightly coat the noodles and add all except 1 cup of the Bechamel sauce to the pasta. 

Assembling the Timballo

Roll out the sheets of the pasta. Lightly grease the casserole dish with Olive Oil. Place half of the reserved Bechamel sauce on the bottom of the casserole. Line the entire casserole with the sheets of pasta, which should be hanging well over the edges of the dish. Make sure that all of the inner surface is covered with pasta dough. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the casserole. Cover that layer with a layer of hanging pasta. Pour more Bechamel on top of the pasta, pout the rest of the pasta on top of that and continue to close the entire casserole with the left over hanging layers of pasta until you have a tightly sealed "drum". If there is any Bechamel sauce left, pour that on top and let rest for at least one hour. 

After the Timballo has rested, place it securely on a large sheet pan and cover it with a plate and place weights on the Timballo. Let sit for another 30 minutes. 

Timballo Unmolded

Set the oven temperature to 400º F and bake for at least one hour. I prefer to bake it immediately, always making sure that it doesn't dry out by pouring tablespoons of milk on top of the Timballo while it is baking. You can also cover it loosely with aluminum to make sure the top doesn't burn. You want the Timballo to set and seal because you will eventually invert it onto a platter and remove the casserole dish. Like many dishes involving baking, letting it rest overnight and reheating almost makes it taste better. I assure you, this will not disappoint and all the work will have been worth the effort.

Make this for a special occasion and people will kiss your feet for years to come.