Tucci Recipe - Timpano, as seen in Big Night with Stanley Tucci

Timpano

Our family LOVES to cook. I have had so many requests for me to share our family recipes that I thought I would finally do so. I hope you enjoy these meals as much as we do. I will be adding recipes regularly, so keep coming back! (By the way, the timpano in the photo is what Timpano is supposed to look like. In the movie, Big Night, the lady that made the Timpano for the set made the shell too thin; hence, you can see the ziti through the shell.) 

By the way, Stanley is my first cousin in the video (Stanley Tucci). The young man without a speaking part is Marc Anthony. 

Get ready; this is a complicated meal to make, but it is certainly worth it.

RACHIELE/TUCCI FAMILY RECIPE

Timpano

TIMPANO ALLA BIG NIGHT

Drum of Ziti and Great Stuff

(Makes 16 Servings)

For the Dough:

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup water

Prepare the Pan:

Butter

Olive oil

For the Filling:

2 cups ¼ x 1/2-inch Genoa Salami pieces

2 cups ¼ x 1/2-inch sharp provolone cheese

12 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, quartered Lengthwise, and each quarter cut in half to create chunks

2 cups little meatballs (about the size of a large marble)

8 cups Ragu

3 pounds ziti, cooked very al dente (about half the time recommended on the package) and drained ( 18 cups cooked )

2 tablespoons olive oil

2/3 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese

4 large eggs beaten

To make the dough, place the flour, eggs, salt, and olive oil in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. (A large capacity food processor may also be used). Add 3 tablespoons of the water and process. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together and forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead to make sure it is well mixed. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

(To knead the dough by hand, mix the flour and salt together on a clean, dry work surface or pastry board. Form these dry ingredients into a mound and then make a well in the center. Break the eggs into the center of the well and lightly beat them with a fork. Stir in 3 tablespoons of water. Use the fork to gradually incorporate some of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Continue mixing the dry ingredients into the eggs, adding the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead the dough with your hands to make a well-mixed, smooth, dry dough. If the dough becomes too sticky, add more flour. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.)

Flatten the dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour and roll it out, dusting with flour and flipping the dough over from time to time, until it is about 1/16 inch thick and is the desired diameter.

Generously grease the timpano baking pan with butter and olive oil. Fold the dough in half and then in half again to form a triangle, and place it in the pan. Open the dough and arrange it in the pan, gently pressing it against the bottom and the sides, draping the extra dough over the sides. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Timpano

To prepare the filling, have the salami, provolone, hard-boiled eggs, meatballs, and ragu at room temperature. Toss the drained pasta with the olive oil and 2 cups of the ragu. Distribute 6 generous cups of the pasta on the bottom of the timpano. Top with 1 cup of the salami, 1 cup of the provolone, 6 of the hard-boiled eggs, 1 cup of the meatballs, and 1/3 cup of the Romano cheese. Pour 2 cups of the ragu over these ingredients. Top with 6 cups of the remaining pasta. Top that with the remaining 1 cup salami, 1 cup provolone, 6 hard-boiled eggs, 1 cup meatballs, and 1/3 Romano cheese.

Pour 2 cups of the ragu over these ingredients. Top with the remaining 6 cups of pasta. (The ingredients should now be about 1 inch below the rim of the pot). Spoon the remaining 2 cups ragu over the pasta. Pour the beaten eggs over the filling. Fold the pasta dough over the filling to seal completely. Trim away and discard any double layers of dough.

Bake until lightly browned, about 1 hour. Then cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until the timpano is cooked through and the dough is golden brown (and reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F), about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 or more minutes. The baked timpano should not adhere to the pan. If any part is still attached, carefully detach it with a knife. Grasp the baking pan firmly and invert the timpano onto a serving platter. Remove the pan and allow the timpano to cool for 20 minutes. Using a long, sharp knife, cut a circle about 3 inches in diameter in the center of the timpano, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Then slice the timpano as you would a pie into individual portions, leaving the center circle as a support for the remaining pieces.