Ingredients
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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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6 ounces butter or 6 ounces vegetable shortening
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4 egg yolks
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt ((end of dough ingredients)
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1 1/2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (4 ounces)
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2 lbs rigatoni pasta or 2 lbs ziti pasta
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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2 1/2 cups ragu napoletano neapolitan meat pasta sauce (I use Ragu Napoletano (Neapolitan Meat Sauce))
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2 cups freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
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1 -1 1/2 cup besciamella bechamel sauce (I use Besciamella Sauce)
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1/2 lb prosciutto, crudo cut into 1/4 inch dice
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- To make the dough: Place the flour on a wooden work surface, make a well in the top.
- Cut the lard or other fat into ¼-inch pieces and place in the center of the well with the yolks, ½ teaspoon salt, and a teaspoon of ice water.
- Mix well with the tips of your fingers to form a lumpy mass.
- Bring together as a dough and knead for 4-5 minutes.
- Wrap in plastic and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375-degrees.
- Roll out pasta to a large circle ¼-inch thick.
- Butter the metal bowl and dust thickly with the toasted bread crumbs.
- Line the buttered dish completely with the sheet of pasta, with a 1 ½-inch edge overhang.
- Boil 6 quarts of water in a large pasta pot, then add 2 Tablespoons of salt.
- Cook the rigatoni/ziti in the boiling water, 3 minutes less than the package instructions state.
- Drain and refresh under cold running water, or an ice bath, until cold, 2-3 minutes.
- Toss with olive oil, and set aside.
- Mix half of the cooked rigatoni/ziti with 2 ½ cups meat sauce and ½ cup of Parmiagiano, and set aside.
- Mix the remaining cooked rigatoni with half of the Besciamella, ¼ cup of Parmigiano, the prosciutto, and nutmeg.
- (Cook's Note: I probably didn't add quite as much sauce as the recipe suggests, just added enough until it looked right.) Place this besciamella-sauced rigatoni/ziti into the bowl, and press lightly.
- Sprinkle with some of the grated Parmigiano, I added a good layer.
- Arrange the meatballs on top in an even layer, and press down again.
- Sprinkle with more Parmigiano.
- Spread the meat-sauced pasta over the meatballs and press down gently.
- Fold the extra pasta over the whole thing, and press gently to seal.
- Cover the open top with foil and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and invert onto a large serving platter, without removing the bowl.
- Allow to rest 10 minutes, then carefully loosen the pasta around the sides with a knife and knock with your knuckles to release the bowl.
- (Mine slid right out without a problem.) Serve immediately with the remaining shredded Parmigiano on the side, cutting the timpano into wedges to serve.