It's not exactly a light meal, but chances are it will be a memorable one. Timpana is baked pasta pie—in a pastry shell. The outside of the Timpana is sturdy, and the pasta inside—usually macaroni—is typically baked with meat, tomatoes, bacon, garlic, cheese and onions, for a creamy, one-dish meal. There are variations on classic Timpana. Tarja Moqlija Timpana, for example, is a pie made of fried vermicelli noodles.

The recipe is thought to be adapted from Sicilian cuisine and was traditionally prepared for a Sunday meal during a time when women were taking their large trays of food to the communal ovens in the village bakeries.

Nowadays Timpana is prepared as an entrée for Christmas lunch, followed by turkey. It is prepared with penne-shaped pasta, blended in a rich tomato and minced meat sauce, mixed with eggs and cheese. Finally, the whole mixture is wrapped in pastry and topped off with a flaky puff pastry lid. Serves 12
​

Timpana

INGREDIENTS:    ​

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
• 250g/10 oz beef mince
• 250g/10 oz pork mince
• 55g (1/4 cup) tomato paste
• 2 x 400g/14 oz cans Italian diced tomatoes
• 250ml (1 cup) beef stock
• 300g penne rigate
• 4 bacon rashers, rind and excess fat trimmed, finely chopped
• 1 eggplant, thinly sliced crossways
• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• 70g (1 cup) finely grated parmesan
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 3 sheets (25 x 25 cm/10 x 10 inches) frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, just thawed
• 1 egg, extra, lightly whisked
• Barbecue sauce, to serve
• Mixed salad leaves, to serve

​METHOD:

1. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the beef and pork mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until mince changes colour.
   
2. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until heated through. Add the tomato and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain well. Set aside to cool.
4. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add half the eggplant and cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C/350˚F. Combine the mince mixture, pasta, egg and parmesan in a large bowl. Add the bacon and hard-boiled eggs and gently fold until just combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
6. Line the base and side of a round 23cm/9-inch (base measurement) cake pan with 2 of the pastry sheets. Trim excess pastry. Spoon half the pasta mixture over the pastry base. Top with eggplant. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture over the eggplant and smooth the surface. Top with the remaining pastry and lightly press the edges to seal. Brush with the extra egg. Bake in preheated oven, covering with foil if pastry browns too quickly, for 1 hour or until golden brown.
7. Turn Timpana onto a baking tray and bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. Set aside for 20 minutes to cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve with barbecue sauce and mixed salad leaves, if desired.