Timballo

From the first time I saw the movie, "The Big Night" and saw the delicacy the brothers brought from "The Old Country" and called Timpano I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the dish. I found a couple places online that pretty much made up their own recipe from seeing it in the movie and then I did the same and called it, Timpano. Then after more research I learned the traditional recipe was called Timballo and found a handful of recipes. I played with them till I came up with the best tasting version of Timballo I could. No special equipment is needed for this except a springform pan. Use the biggest and tallest one you have. This has become a signature dish for me. If I want to impress someone with food, this is what I serve. Enjoy, it's definitely a wonderful and beautiful thing to serve for guests. 

Ingredients
1/2 Lb Pizza Crust Dough, (1/4th recipe) dough recipe
1 Lb Ziti pasta cooked very al dente. (pasta will cook more as it bakes in the oven.
4 C Red Gravy or Marinara Sauce
1/2 Lb Italian Sausage cooked in pasta sauce and cut into bite sized pieces. about 1 inch
1 C Ricotta
1 Raw Egg
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Parsley Frakes
1/8 Lb Cooked Bacon strips cut into 1 inch lengths. Browned but not crispy.
20 Slices Pepperoni
3 Hard Boiled Eggs peeled and left whole
2 Tbsp Early sweet peas
1/2 C Sliced Mushrooms (optional)
1/2 C Mozzarella
1/4 C Parmesan
6-8 Basil Leaves, Chopped.
Fresh Ground Pepper to Taste
And anything you'd like to add. (Be careful not to add anything that will make it watery)

Prepare
Cook Pasta very al dente, drain and mix with 1 cup of sauce and set aside (pasta will cook more during baking so leave it nice and firm)
Prepare Ricotta, whip ricotta with egg, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and Parmesan

Prepare Crust
Proof dough for 1/2 hour then roll out to about a 20-22 inch circle.
Place dough loosely in an 8 1/2 inch springform pan. Let dough fill bottom of pan to edges and overlap rim to fold over when filled.

Spoon a shallow layer of pasta into bottom of crusted pan. spread evenly
Add a ladle of sauce and spread to fill.
Place a layer of bacon over pasta.
Spread ricotta mixture over bacon.
Add layer of pasta
Place sausage pieces on and into pasta.
Sprinkle basil over all
Add enough pasta to even out layer of sausage.
Ladle sauce over layer till filled.
Spread Sliced Mushrooms over layer.
Place hard boiled eggs well spaced on mushrooms
Fill layer with pasta, sprinkle in peas and add some sauce
Cover layer with half of the Mozzarella
Add layer of pepperoni
Add remainder of pasta and cover with remaining Mozzarella.

Close carefully by folding edges of dough up over top all around. Overlap where needed and pinch ends together to close

Bake at 450F for 20 - 25 minutes till medium brown.

Let stand 5 minutes then remove spring form pan,
Cut into wedges and serve.

Makes 6 generous servings