Neapolitan Rice Timbale (Naples)

Pasta

Ingredients

Meat balls:

Ground lean beef - 1/2 pound

Soft breadcrumbs - 1 1/3 cups

Grated parmesan cheese - 2 1/2 tbsps

Parsley, finely chopped - 2-3 sprigs

Salt and pepper

Eggs - 1-2 

Flour

Oil for deep-frying

Neapolitan Meat Sauce - 1 1/4 cups

Filling:

Olive oil - 2 1/2 tbsps

Streaky Bacon, diced - 2-3 slices

Shelled green peas - 2 cups

Salt

Italian Pork Sausages - 5 small

Chicken Livers, chopped - 2

Dry White Wine - 2 1/2 tbsps

Rice Mixture:

Beef Stock - 6 cups

Neapolitan meat sauce - 8 tbsps

Risotto Rice - 2 1/2 cups

Grated parmesan cheese - 3/4 cup

Eggs, well beaten - 2

Pepper

Oil and fine dry breadcrumbs

Mozzarella cheese, diced - 1/2 pound

Parma ham, sliced - 1/4 pound

Hard boiled eggs, sliced - 2

Dried Mushrooms, soaked and chopped - 1 oz

Butter and breadcrumbs, to garnish

Meatballs:

Put the beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl and knead well by hand until thoroughly mixed. Add 1 egg, mix well and add the second egg only if the mixture is still not completely blended and of a medium soft consistancy. Break off small pieces the sixe of large cherries, roll them into balls and coat them lightly with flour. Deep-fry in oil until golden brown, but take care not to let them become too dark. Drop the meat balls into a pan with the meat sauce, and leave simmering until required.

Filling: Heat the oil in a pan and add the bacon, peas, a pinch of salt and a few tbsps of water. Bring to a boil and cook gently for 15 minutes. Skin and crumble the sausages. Add the sausage meat to the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until it has changed color. Stir in the chicken livers and moisten with wine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and put aside.

Rice Mixture: Bring the beef stock to a boil in a heavy oven casserole together with the meat sauce. Stir in the rice, cover and put into a moderate oven (375F) for 10 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, the rice will be slightly underdone and very moist. Stir in the parmesan, eggs and a little freshly ground pepper. Mix well.

Spoon at least 3/4 of the rice into a prepared mold, pressing it well against the sides and bottom with a wooden spoon to make a hollow in the middle for the filling. Fill the hollow as follows: cover the bottom with half the mozzarella and parma ham and 1 sliced hard boiled egg. Then add the prepared filling, then the meat balls with their sauce, the mushrooms and finally the remaining mozzarella, ham and sliced hard boiled egg. Cover with the remaining rice, sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and dot with slivers of butter.

Bake in a moderate oven (375F) for 1 hour, or until a golden crust has formed on top. Remove from the oven or until a golden crust has formed on top. Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes to settle before turning out. Serve immediately.

Serves 6