This timpano recipe delivers a showstopping Italian centerpiece built from layers of pasta, sauce, veggies, eggs, and cheese baked inside a pasta shell.Assembling the components into a single baked dish allows them to build into a flavor richer than the sum of its parts.The finished timpano slices cleanly and dramatically, making it as striking on the table as it is satisfying to eat.
This dome of pasta, cheese, and vegetables encased in pastry is a true labor of love — and a showstopping centerpiece once it hits the table. The filling is flexible: Swap in your favorite roasted or grilled vegetables for the eggplant, or add cooked chicken or pork if you’d like to make it heartier.
What is a timpano?
A timpano is a classic Italian dish built from layers of pasta, tomato sauce, vegetables (often with meat), hard-boiled eggs, and cheese, all wrapped in dough and baked into a dramatic dome. It was popularized in the U.S. by the Stanley Tucci film Big Night and remains one of the most impressive dishes you can serve to a crowd.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Salting the eggplant draws out excess moisture, making it less spongy so it absorbs less oil. This results in eggplant that cooks up tender, holds its shape, and slices cleanly once baked into the timpano.
Be sure to undercook the pasta before layering. As the timpano bakes, moisture from the eggplant, spinach, and tomato sauce finishes cooking the pasta, keeping the filling flavorful and supple rather than mushy. (You’ll use about 1½ cups of sauce mixed with the pasta and about 1 cup per layer.)
All the components are layered inside a dough similar to fresh pasta, then baked until crisp on the outside. Breaking through the crust reveals tender pasta, vegetables, and pockets of melted cheese — dramatic, satisfying, and well worth the effort.
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