Timballo di Pasta (Rigatoni Pasta Bake in Shortcrust Pastry)

Ragù

• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 2 slices Celery
• 1 medium Carrot
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 250 g Minced beef
• 250 g Minced pork
• 150 ml Dry Red Wine
• 500 g Tomato passata

Pasta and assembly

• 350 g Rigatoni
• 150 g Frozen peas
• 200 g Mozzarella
• 60 g Parmesan
• 375 g Shortcrust pastry

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Finely chop the onion, celery and carrot, then cook with a pinch of salt for 10 to 12 minutes until softened and sweet. Crush in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
2. Add the minced beef and minced pork and cook over a medium-high heat, breaking it up, until no longer pink and starting to brown. Pour in the red wine and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until reduced. Stir in the passata, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and rich.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. Cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than the packet suggests, then drain well. Tip into a mixing bowl.
4. Stir the peas into the hot ragù for 2 to 3 minutes until just heated through. Add the ragù to the rigatoni and mix thoroughly. Cut the mozzarella into small pieces and stir most of it through, reserving a handful for the top; stir in half the parmesan and reserve the rest for finishing.
5. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Roll out the shortcrust pastry and line a deep 20 cm cake tin, leaving an overhang. Pack in the pasta mixture, pressing down firmly to remove air pockets, then fold the overhang over the top to mostly cover the filling.
6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and the timballo feels set when gently pressed. Scatter over the reserved mozzarella and parmesan for the last 10 minutes so it melts and browns lightly. If the pastry colours too quickly, loosely cover the top with foil.
7. Rest the timballo in the tin for 15 minutes so it firms up for clean slices. Turn out onto a board, slice like a pie, and serve hot. Any ragù that escapes is a bonus, spoon it over the slices.

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