Sicilian Baked Anelletti (Timballo)

Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 90 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the meat sauce (ragu)

• 400 g ground beef or beef and pork or veal mix (14oz)
• 1/2 glass red wine 

• 150 g peas (5oz)
• 2-3 carrots
• 2-3 celery stalk
• 1 medium sized onion peeled
• 3 garlic cloves peeled
• Extra virgin olive oil 

• 1 handful basil leaves
• 350 g tomato passata rustica (12oz) 

• salt and pepper to taste 

For the Timballo

• 400 g anelletti (16 oz) 

• breadcrumbs as required
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 50 g grated parmesan (2oz) 

• 150 g cooked ham (5oz) cut into cubes
• 150 g Provolone cheese (5oz) cut into cubes 

Instructions:

1. First make the meat sauce. Chop the carrot, onion, garlic and celery finely. Fry the vegetables in olive oil until they start to soften.
2. Add the minced meat and cook until browned. Add the glass of red wine, stir and allow to evaborate.
3. Pour in the passata and mix well. Add the fresh basil and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cover the sauce and allow to simmer on low heat for at least an hour, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. If it gets too thick add some water.
5. 10 minutes before the sauce is done, add the peas.

While the sauce is cooking start to prepare the rest of the timballo.

1. Preheat oven to 200°F.
2. Put water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil. Cook the pasta 2-3 minutes less than instructed on the packet. Drain pasta and add to the meat sauce when it is done. Mix the pasta and sauce well and allow to cool.
3. Grease the sides and base of a deep, spring-form cake tin with olive oil.
4. Line the sides and base of the tin with breadcrumbs.
5. Once the pasta and meat mixture has cooled, spoon a thick layer into the base of the tin.
6. Make another layer from the chopped ham and provolone cheese and finish off with another thick layer of the pasta and meat sauce.
7. Press the mixture down and cover the top with more breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese.
8. Bake the timballo at 200°F for 25-30 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate and removing the tin.
10. Serve topped with fresh basil leaves. Buon Appetito!

Recipe Notes: Yummly