Source: Anne Catherine Kruger, Indianapolis. 1998
Makes 6 servings.
Preparation time: 3 hours
Tips: Get creative with variations on the filling.
Timballo de Pasta
"Anne Catherine"
Pasta Wrapper & Pasta Filling
Ingredients
Preparation
SAUCE AND FILLING:
3 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 pound prosciutto
1 cup whipping cream
8 ounces can or frozen artichokes
12 ounces penne pasta, cooked firmer than al dente
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 hard boiled eggs, quartered
BECHAMEL SAUCE :
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
PASTA SHEET: outer crust
1 2/3 cups flour
3 whole eggs
Butter well a 10" spring mold, set aside.
1. SAUCE AND FILLING: Put the butter and shallots in a sauce pan, turn on the heat to medium and cook until the shallots become colored a pale gold. Add prosciutto and saute another few minutes. Off heat add, artichokes, cooked penne pasta and Parmesan cheese
2. BECHAMEL SAUCE: In a small saucepan melt butter, under medium heat add flour and salt, cook for about 1 minute stiring with a whisk or wooden spoon. Do not let flour or butter brown or it will have a burned taste. Add the milk and whisk to prevent lumps. Cook until thicken, the sauce should be the consistency of sour cream. When done, keep it warm in the upper half of a double boiler, with the heat turned to very low. Stir it just before using.
3. Prepare pasta dough ( see "Pasta Dough" recipe for directions). Roll pasta dough into a big sheet to completely wrap the 10" spring pan with. Lay the sheet of dough flat on a counter lined with dry, cloth towels, and let it dry for about 10 minutes. Three 24" long sheets about 5-6" wide work well if using a pasta machine.
4. In a large pot place 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to boil. Add pasta sheet and cook for about 1 minute. Retrieve with a spoon, dip in bowl of cold water.Spread out flat on the cloth towel. Pasta should be firmer than al dente. Do not over cook.
5. TO ASSEMBLE: Brush bechamel pasta sheet with bechamel sauce. Place sheet centered at bottom of buttered spring pan, sauced side touching pan bottom. Now brush the inside pasta sheet with bechamel sauce. Pour 1/3 of the sauce and filling mixture. Add 1/2 of the hard boiled egg pieces. Add 1/3 sauce and filling mixture. Add remaining hard boiled eggs, top with the remaining of sauce and filling mixture. Brush generously with bechamel sauce. Wrap pasta around using bechamel sauce to seal the wrapper.
6. Bake at 375 F degrees for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Immediately out of the oven, invert in platter, carefully remove mold and serve.
NOTE: 1) Recipe may be done in individual 4 1/2-inch bowls. Roll pasta to 6 sheets about 8" in diameter, big enough to wrap bowls. To bake increase temperature to 450 F degrees reducing baking time to about 8-10 minutes. Makes 6.
2) You can prepare wrappers several hours in advance up to before baking, they can be done in the morning for the evening but not overnight, and they are not to be refrigerated.
