Tagliatelle Bake (Timballo)
Tagliatelle bake is a layered baked pasta from southern Italy, known there as timballo, and traditionally made for Sunday lunch. The fresh pasta was prepared the evening before, so the cook only had to assemble and bake the dish on the day. A beef and tomato sauce is layered with mozzarella, cream and parmesan, and a grating of nutmeg finishes the top. Families each keep their own variation.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C convection / 350°F / gas mark 4). Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan and add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook gently until they are soft but have taken no colour.
Add the minced beef and cook it until browned, breaking the mince up as finely as you can as it fries.
Stir in the parsley, then pour in the white wine. Let it bubble for 5 minutes so the alcohol cooks off.
Season to taste and add the chopped tomatoes. Cook over a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring now and then, to make the sauce.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the tagliatelle according to the pack instructions, or until it is firm to the bite, then drain it.
Grease an oven dish and spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce over the base. Add half the pasta, half the diced mozzarella, half the remaining sauce and half the cream, then cover with half the parmesan.
Repeat with the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, sauce and cream. Top with the remaining parmesan and a little freshly grated nutmeg.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden. Let the dish stand for a few minutes out of the oven, then scatter over the basil leaves and serve.
Make it personal.
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