Timpano, or "Mambo Vegetaliano"

This quixotic enterprise had its beginnings in a conversation about "the best food movies." Our short list included Babette's Feast (1987) and Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), but my hands-down favorite was Big Night (1996), with Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci as Italian immigrant brothers Primo and Secundo,  running a small restaurant on the Jersey Shore in the 1950s. (The restaurant is called "Paradise." I'll refrain from drawing any Dante or Milton-related parallels; just go watch the film, and then we can talk!) I won't spoil things by giving  away the whole plot, but suffice to say that food - its quality, preparation, and the vast number of things it evokes and represents - sits squarely at its emotional center. The climax of the film is a huge, elaborate dinner party prepared in anticipation of the restaurant's most famous guest, Louis Prima (a word of praise from whom could save the brothers' struggling business, along with their shot at the American Dream). 

Among the multiple courses prepared for this feast is Timpano di Maccheroni,  an outrageously baroque concoction consisting of multiple layers of pasta, sauce, sausages, meatballs, and cheese, encased in a pastry dome. (Full disclosure: the traditional recipe also features sliced hard-boiled eggs, but since that would have made me gag even before I was vegan, we're just going to forget all about it. Gross.) Anyway, while discussing the awesomeness of Big Night, it occurred to me that a veganized timpano - so called because it looks like a drum, if you hadn't already figured that out - might be an excellent project for a snowbound afternoon. Since we have had no shortage of those here in central Massachusetts, it wasn't long before an occasion presented itself; I did a little research and lo, within a few hours, the daunting task was accomplished. I'm bound to say that although I employed a number of convenient shortcuts (unlike Primo, who made his own pasta, sausage, and meatballs...from meat!), this was not an endeavor for the faint of heart; if you're going to do this, you should probably clear the afternoon. 

On the other hand, the results were pretty spectacular, and now that I've done it, I'm going to plan a whole party around the next one. Cocktail dresses, skinny ties, Louis Prima on the hi-fi, Campari and soda aperitifs, extravagant antipasta, and gallons of Chianti. As Secundo's frenemy Pascal so succinctly puts it, "You must bite your teeth into the ass of life and drag it to you! HEY!"

Timpano

The Dough

Ingredients

~ 4 cups all purpose flour
~ 1 tsp. salt
~ 6 tbsp. cold margarine or shortening
~ Egg replacer for 4 eggs
~ 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

~ In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, and cold margarine, and mix with your fingers until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
~ Add the egg replacer and enough of the ice water to make a soft dough.
~ Knead for a minute or two, then wrap in plastic and set aside in the refrigerate.


The Red Sauce

Ingredients

~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 cup diced onions
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 cup chopped mushrooms
~ 4 good handfuls baby spinach, chopped fine
~ 1 tsp. oregano
~ 3 cups marinara sauce, prepared or homemade

Directions

~ In a large, deep skillet, sate the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in the oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

~ Add the spinach and oregano and stir until just wilted.
~ Add the marinara and cook another few minutes. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.


The White Sauce

Ingredients

~ 1 tbsp. vegan margarine
~ 1 tbsp. flour
~ 1/4 cup vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast (I used Galaxy Soy Vegan Parmesan Topping)
~ 1/2 tsp. each: salt, basil
~ Pinch nutmeg
~ 1.5 cups plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ 1.5 cups vegetable stock (I used mushroom broth from soaking dried porcini, which was awesome)

Directions

~ Combine the soy milk and broth, and bring to nearly boiling in the microwave.
~ In a saucepan, melt the margarine over low heat, then add the flour and stir to make a roux. 
~ Raise the heat to medium, and gradually begin adding the heated milk/broth mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
~ Add the vegan parm, salt, basil, and nutmeg, and continue cooking another 5 minutes or so, until slightly thickened. Set aside to cool to room temperature.


Also
~ 1 lb. penne or ziti, cooked and drained according to package directions
~ 1 12 oz. package vegan meatballs, prepared according to package directions (Trader Joe's or Nate's are good)
~ 3 vegan Italian sausages, cubed and browned in a little oil (I like Field Roast)
~ 2 cups grated, vegan mozzarella (I used Daiya)
~ 1 cup vegan parmesan
~ A large, oven safe bowl, generously greased
~ Extra red sauce, for serving (optional)


The Assembly
~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
~ Mix 2/3 of the cooked pasta with the red sauce, and the remaining pasta with the white sauce, and set aside.
~ On a large, floured board, roll out the dough into a large, very thin circle (I'm talking about a maximum 1/8" thickness; thinner, if you can manage it. It should be large enough to fill the oiled bowl, with sufficient overlap to cover the top completely. You will have some extra, but no worries - just snip it off and discard. Better to have too much than not enough!)
~ Place half the red-sauced pasta in the bottom of the dough-lined bowl, and press down gently but firmly with the flat of your hands. 
~ Arrange half of the cooked meatballs and half of the sausage on top of the pasta, press down again, then sprinkle on 1 cup of the Daiya and 1/2 cup of the vegan parmesan.
~ Make a layer of the white-sauced pasta layer, then top with the remaining meatballs, sausage, Daiya, and parm, pressing down with each layer.
~ Finish with the remaining red-sauced pasta, then press down on the whole mess with your dainty little hands one last time.
~ Fold the overhanging dough over the top and seal. You might want to dampen your fingers a little to do this; you don't want your timpano to leak.
~ Place the bowl on a baking sheet, and cook at 350 degrees for an hour, until the dough is lightly browned and firm to the touch.
~ Remove the bowl from the oven, and allow to rest for about 15-20 minutes.
~ Cover the top of the timpano with a large platter, and very carefully invert the whole business. Say a little prayer, and then gently remove the bowl from the beauteous, golden dome. Allow the timpano to rest another 15-20 minutes or so.
~ With a long, sharp knife, slice like a pie into individual portions. 
~ Please note that this dish is so ridiculously dense and filling that a simple green salad is really all the accompaniment you could conceivably need to make this The Most Outrageous Italian Meal Ever. That said, you can serve some extra marinara at the table if you like, and a glass or two of Chianti wouldn't come amiss, either.

Behold!