Tortellini Bolognese pasticcio (or timballo) is a pastry encased pasta pie stuffed with tortellini, Bolognese sauce and grated Parmigiano. The recipe for this tortellini pie comes from Bologna, dwelling to all of the components used. There, the pasta would historically be stuffed with meat, however I used ricotta and spinach tortellini. Centuries in the past, pasta pies with pastry graced the tables of the the Aristocracy. Right this moment, they’re widespread at particular events like Carnival, or as a one course meal or eaten chilly at picnics.
Pasticcio or Timballo? What’s the distinction?
You’ll find pastry encased pasta pies cooked in lots of components of Italy, however most historically in Emilia-Romagna, Campania and Sicily. Some Italians name these elaborate pies ‘timballo’ others use ‘pasticcio’. Timballo have been initially spherical pies, whereas pasticcio refers to several types of pasta al forno together with lasagna. A timballo is a sort of pasticcio.
Pasticcio.
The phrase pasticcio apparently has origins within the kitchens of historical Rome and comes from the Latin ‘pasticium’. Pasticium used along with ‘laganum’ or laganon’ referred to sheets of dough full of meat and cooked within the oven. Meals historians imagine this was the ancestor of right now’s lasagna.
In truth, right here in Veneto, they name kinds of lasagne al forno, pasticcio. Nonetheless, in Bologna, they get very upset when you seek advice from their conventional lasagna with Bolognese as a pasticcio!! Barely complicated, proper? As well as, many pasticcio recipes are made with different kinds of pasta baked within the oven with numerous sauces and components. Typically the pasta and sauce is in a pastry case, however fairly often not!
Timballo.
A timballo, then again, is historically a dish of pasta, rice or potatoes baked with different components in a deep spherical oven dish. In truth, the phrase ‘timballo’ comes from the outdated French ‘tamballe’, which means kettledrum.
Initially, the phrase referred to the semi-spherical copper mildew they made these spherical dishes in. This mildew had a diameter equal to its top! Over time, the recipes turned often called timballi (one timballo, 2 timballi).
Some pasta timballo recipes contain encasing the pasta, sauce and different components like cheese, meatballs, peas, eggs and many others in pastry. These recipes are additionally identified in some areas as timpano.
Timpano discovered fame within the US because the ‘star’ of Stanley Tucci’s movie Massive Evening! Nonetheless, in components of Southern Italy, you can too discover timballo encased simply in breadcrumbs or a vegetable wrap, typically eggplant. Try my parmigiana timballo for an ideal instance of that and extra in regards to the historical past of timballo.
Pasta pies with historical past.
Regardless of the title used, elaborate pastry encased pasta pies much like this tortellini Bolognese pasticcio began life within the kitchens of the the Aristocracy throughout the Renaissance. They weren’t dishes loved by the peasant or rural inhabitants. One very well-known and luxurious pasta pasticcio on my to-make listing is pasticcio alla Ferrarese from town of Ferrara.
Also called ‘pastiz del duca’ this wealthy pie dates again to 1528 when it was ready for the marriage feast of the Duke of Ferrara Ercole II D’Este to Renata, daughter of the King of France! The unique recipe referred to as for maccheroni with a pigeon ragu, mushrooms, white truffle, nutmeg, béchamel and probably sweetbreads. The components have been encased in a candy shortcrust pastry and cooked in a copper mildew.
These days, pasticcio alla Ferrarese continues to be a standard dish in Ferrara, particularly at Carnival time. Nonetheless, the components are totally different, undoubtedly no pigeon ragu or white truffle. They nonetheless use a candy pastry case although!
This Pasticcio di Tortellini.
This pasticcio recipe is, in fact rather a lot less complicated than the extra elaborate pasta pies of the Renaissance. And, though I wish to make some more difficult variations, this one is ideal for a traditional household meal!
I first got here throughout this recipe in one in every of my favorite English language Italian meals cookbooks. La Cucina; The Regional Cooking of Italy is printed by the Italian Academy of Delicacies (L’accademia Italiana della Cucina). This ‘bible’ of two,000 genuine Italian recipes has an enormous part of pasta dishes. However, additionally many many different Italian recipes from antipasti to desserts!
The simple model of tortellini pie.
As I usually do, I searched on-line for different variations of this recipe. There are fairly just a few. Nonetheless, I made a decision to go along with the tortellini pasticcio in my e book. The one factor I did in another way was to purchase ready-made shortcrust pastry as an alternative of constructing my very own.
Made exclusively from scratch this recipe is fairly time consuming. Think about making your individual broth, tortellini, pastry, and Bolognese! Nonetheless, it’s not essential to make every little thing your self.
In truth, I believe selfmade tortellini are greatest eaten the standard approach, on their very own in broth. That approach you get to understand the flavour of selfmade pasta. The broth on this recipe is just used to cook dinner the tortellini so selfmade could be a waste and perhaps your individual pastry is best, however ready-made works simply as effectively.
The one ingredient I made myself was the Bolognese. However, truly, I used Bolognese from the freezer as I often make further and freeze for one more day. Truly, this tortellini pasticcio is an ideal approach to make use of up leftover Bolognese or different floor meat ragu.
The components you want.
So, what you really need for the simple model of this tortellini pie is customized tortellini (I used recent spinach and ricotta tortellini), high quality low sodium meat broth, leftover ragu, retailer purchased shortcrust pastry, grated Parmigiano and an egg! If you wish to make the Bolognese from scratch, try my recipe for genuine Bolognese.
Making your tortellini pie.
Assuming you have got your pastry, Bolognese, broth and tortellini prepared, all you have to do is half cook dinner the pasta in broth, pressure it and blend it with half the Bolognese. Line a well-greased spring type cake tin with one sheet of quick crust pastry, fill it with a layer of tortellini with Bolognese, add some extra meat sauce and a few grated Parmigiano cheese on high. Then make one other layer of pasta and sauce, plus extra ragu and a beneficiant sprinkling of cheese.
Lastly, place the second pastry sheet on high of the dish, lower off many of the further dough, leaving sufficient to fold the perimeters of the 2 pastry sheets collectively to type a sealed border. Then, prick the highest of the tortellini pasticcio with a fork and brush it with egg yolk. Bake the pie in a preheated oven at 180°c for about 30-40 minutes.
Different components, substitutions and leftovers.
There are recipes for this tortellini pie that embrace mushrooms, peas, béchamel or black truffle. So, I believe you’ll be able to embrace any of those if you want. The tortellini are often stuffed with Bolognese, however I used spinach and ricotta tortellini. Different recipes name for tortellini with mortadella or prosciutto crudo (Parma ham), each of that are typical merchandise from Bologna.
Whichever kind of tortellini you determine to make use of, I’m positive you’ll be as proud of this tortellini pie as I used to be. Not solely did it style unbelievable when freshly made however the leftovers have been scrumptious each chilly and warmed within the microwave. I might undoubtedly make this pasticcio to tackle a picnic or to a pot luck. Family and friends will find it irresistible!
In case you do do that tortellini Bolognese pasticcio recipe, I’d love to listen to what you suppose. Please write a remark right here on the weblog or publish a touch upon the Pasta Mission Fb web page.
Your suggestions means rather a lot to me!
Buon Appetito!
Tortellini Bolognese Pasticcio Pie
Tortellini Bolognese pasticcio (or timballo) is a pastry encased pasta pie stuffed with tortellini, Bolognese sauce and grated Parmigiano. This simple model makes an ideal household meal that is scrumptious eaten heat or chilly. Good for picnics and potlucks too.
Elements
- 400-500 g tortellini (14-17oz) I used recent ready-made spinach and ricotta tortellini (see notes)
- 400-500 Bolognese sauce I used leftover selfmade Bolognese
- 2 230g spherical quick crust pastry sheets (8oz)
- 1 egg
- 140 g Parmigiano Reggiano or grana (5oz) grated
- 1 Lt beef broth (4.5 cups)
Directions
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Collect your components pastry sheets dropped at room temperature, warmed Bolognese, broth, grated cheese, an egg and tortellini.
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If the Bolognese sauce/ragu may be very liquid, simmer it to make it thicker. Take away from the warmth and permit to chill earlier than mixing it with the tortellini.
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Pour the broth right into a pot that’s sufficiently big to suit the tortellini. Deliver the broth to a boil. Add a pinch of salt after which add the tortellini. Cook dinner till very al dente (about 3 minutes for recent tortellini). Then drain the broth and blend the pasta with ½ the Bolognese.
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Grease your spring type pan effectively with oil and butter. Then line the underside and sides with one sheet of quick crust pastry dough. Don’t lower off the additional pastry till the pie is sort of able to bake.
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Make a layer of tortellini with Bolognese, add some extra meat sauce and a few grated Parmigiano cheese on high. Then make one other layer of pasta and sauce, plus extra ragu and a beneficiant sprinkling of cheese.
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Lastly, place the second pastry sheet on high of the dish, lower off many of the further dough, leaving sufficient to fold the perimeters of the 2 pastry sheets collectively to type a sealed border. Then, prick the highest of the tortellini pasticcio with a fork and brush it with crushed egg yolk. Bake the pie in a preheated oven at 180°c (356°F) for about 30-40 minutes.
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The pie is prepared when the pastry is golden and barely crispy. In case you suppose the highest has cooked earlier than the remaining is prepared, cowl the pie in aluminium foil and cook dinner for one more 10 minutes. Permit your pasticcio to chill for no less than quarter-hour earlier than eradicating it from the pan.
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Take away the edges of the spring type pan. Place a plate on high of the pie and thoroughly flip it over. The pie ought to launch from the cake pan base with no drawback. Then place one other plate on high of the underside of the pie and flip once more. Serve lower into slices.
Notes
The tortellini for this pasticcio are often stuffed with Bolognese, however I used spinach and ricotta tortellini. Different recipes name for tortellini with mortadella or prosciutto crudo (Parma ham), each of that are typical merchandise from Bologna. Use which ever tortellini you favor.
Different pasta pie recipes (with and with out pastry)
- Rigatoni pasticciati from Trentino Alto-Adige
- Neapolitan tagliolini pasta pie
- Neapolitan ricotta and pasta pie (pastiera)
- Baked anelletti timballo from Sicily
- Chocolate and walnut candy pasta pie
If you’re curious about studying find out how to make selfmade pasta and several types of gnocchi, try my store web page for some nice video on-line programs from my associates in Rome! Nothing beats studying to make pasta from Italians! Plus whilst you’re there why not order a duplicate of one in every of my pasta recipe cookbooks or checkout some beneficial pasta making instruments?