Timpano, a Thanksgiving Tradition

/

Typically, the Thanksgiving Turkey is the highlight of one of the most indulgent days of the year. 3 years ago the Timpano trumped its way to being the star at our Thanksgiving Table. This dish was inspired by the 1996 movie Big Night, about a failing Italian restaurant run by two brothers Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci) who gambles on one special night to try to save the business. They plunge themselves into preparations for this "big night", spending their last savings on the food and inviting dozens of people to join them in an amazing feast centered around the timpano (which means eardrum in Italian). Below is a clip from the movie Big Night. 

It all started three years ago with a group of friends at the local dog park who wanted to have a dinner party themed after the movie Big Night, where we would watch the movie and bring dishes which were reflected in the movie. I took on the challenge of making the Timpano and began my research in preparing this dish a month in advance by purchasing the book, Cucina & Famiglia, where the Tucci's family recipe for the Timpano resides. My first attempt at making the Timpano was exactly by the book and since then I have made it my own; tweaking the recipe to the point where Thanksgiving guests from year to year have noticed the subtle differences and have become connoisseurs in their own right of this anticipated dish. I can relate first hand to the drama associated with creating a Timpano; "Is their enough sauce?" "Is the pasta al dente enough?" "Is their enough meatballs?" "Is it done?" "Will the Timpano stick to the drum when flipped over?" "Is it better than the last one"? The fuss and anticipation of the Timpano has become part of our Thanksgiving Feast and is worth every moment in creating this celebrated dish.

The making of the Timpano

Making the Timpano is time consuming and I recommend preparing a few days ahead of time. Once you make your first Timpano you may find yourself creating your own takes on the dish. My recipe has been evolving for three years now and the one provided below has been the best yet!

Dough

 ingredients

  • 4 cups flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup water reserved

directions

  1. Place flour, eggs, salt and olive oil in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
  2. Add 3 tbsp water and process. If needed continue adding water 1 tbsp at a time, up to 1/2 cup, until the mixture comes together and forms a ball.
  3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead into a smooth ball.
note: dough can be made 1 day in advance. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator. Take out of the refrigerator an hour before use.

Sauce

ingredients

  • 6 garlic cloves whole
  • 1 medium white onion chopped
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 2 cans of chopped and peeled tomatos
  • 2 cans of tomato pureé
  • 4 large basil leaves
  • 3 sweet Italian Sausage
  • 3 spicy Italian Sausage
  • 2 cups of water
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 4 tbsp of Olive Oil

directions

  1. Place 4 tbsp of Olive Oil in deep sauce pan over medium heat. Once the oil is heated place the sausages in pot and brown evenly on all sides and remove.
  2. Lower the heat to low and place garlic in pot for about 15 minutes until the garlic is soft but not brown. You simply want to infuse the oil with the garlic. Remove the garlic and place with the sausage.
  3. Bring the heat back up to medium and saute´the onions until translucent and then place the tomato paste in and cook for 2 more minutes.
  4. Then put the cans of tomato pureé and chopped into the pot with the garlic and then add the 2 cups of water.
  5. If you have a hand immersion blender use to pureé the sauce in the pot. You want the sauce to be smooth for the Timpano.
  6. Then place in the sausages, basil, salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 2 hours.
note: the sauce can be done 2 days in advance and stored in refrigerator. Take out of the refrigerator an hour before use.

Little Meatballs

ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef, veal and pork
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 tablespoons finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 10 (1-inch thick) slices Italian bread

directions

  1. Arrange bread on cookie sheet and allow it to dry out for 3 days before use.
  2. Place dried bread in a bowl; add warm water to cover. Set aside 5 minutes until bread softens.
  3. In another bowl, combine meat mixture, parsley, garlic, egg, cheese, salt and pepper; use your hands to mix. 
  4. Squeeze water out of bread and break it into small pieces. Work bread into meat until combined and the mixture holds together like soft dough. 
  5. Warm olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. Make 1 inch meatballs round and cook for 6 minutes until well-browned on all sides. (do not cook all the way through as it will cook in the Timpano).
note: the meatballs can be done a day in advance and stored in refrigerator. Take out of the refrigerator an hour before use.

Assembly

An hour before assembling the Timpano you want to make sure all your ingredients are prepped and ready to go. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

ingredients

  • 2 cups sharp Provolone cheese, cut in 1/2-by-1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1 cup of ricotta cheese
  • 12 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, and quartered lengthwise
  • 2 cups little Meatballs (recipe above)
  • 2 cups of sausages, cut in 1/2-by-1/2-inch pieces
  • 7.5 cups of sauce (recipe above), plus 1/2 cup of water
  • 3 pounds ziti, cooked very al dente (half the time) 18 cups of pasta for the Timpano
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 pat of butter and 1 tbsp olive oil to coat the enamel bowl

materials

note: If the Timpano sticks to the bowl simply slide a knife along the edge. I have never had an issue with sticking so make sure you generously grease your Timpano bowl. 
You should be able to see the pasta patterns on the dough, if not that means your dough may be slightly too thick.

directions

  1. Bring a pot of well salted water to boil to accomodate 3 pounds of pasta and cook the ziti for only half the time so it is very al dente. Strain pasta and run under cool water to stop the cooking.
  2. Pour 1.5 cups of the reserved sauce plus half cup of water on the ziti and combine.
  3. Generously grease timpano enamel bowl with butter and olive.
  4. Flatten dough on a lightly floured work surface. Dust top of dough with flour and roll it out, dusting with flour and flipping the dough over from time to time, until it is 1/16-inch thick and is the desired diameter. Should be about 24 inches in diameter.
  5. Fold dough in half and then in half again, to form a triangle, and place it in the pan. Open dough and arrange it in the pan, gently pressing it against the bottom and the sides, draping the extra dough over the sides.
  6. Distribute 6 generous cups of the pasta on the bottom of the timpano. Top with 1 cup of sausage, 1 cup of provolone, 6 hard-boiled eggs, 1 cup meatballs, 1/2 cup of ricotta and 1/2 cup Romano Cheese. Pour 2 cups ragu over these ingredients.
  7. Repeat step 7 and then top with the remainder 6 cups of pasta. The ingredients should be about 1 inch below the rim of the bowl.
  8. Pour 2 cups of ragu over the pasta and the 4 beaten eggs over filling.
  9. Fold pasta dough over filling to seal completely. Trim away and discard any double layers of dough.
  10. Place in oven for 1 hour. Check the Timpano frequently to make sure the top does not burn but should be golden brown.
  11. After 1 hour of cooking place tinfoil over the Timpano and cook for another 1/2 hour.
  12. Remove from oven and let cool for about 30 minutes. Say a prayer and then place a wooden board on top of the Timpano and flip the bowl over so the board is then at the bottom and then remove the bowl.
  13. The Timpano should sit for 2 hours before serving. If you cut the Timpano when it is hot it will fall apart.
  14. Using a long, sharp knife, cut a circle about 3 inches in diameter in the center of the timpano,making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Then slice the timpano as you would a pie into individual portions, leaving the center circle as a support for the remaining pieces. Makes Approximately 20 servings.
Happy Holidays and Timpano Making!

Orlando's Café Provides a Perfect Kiss

/

Orlando Garbanzo is the Chef and co-owner of Orlando's Café which is on Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays. Montauk Highway is the road most travelled through Long island's Hampton scene which spans from Westhampton to Montauk Point. Garbanzo's loyal customers are locals, weekend warriors and vacationers who come everyday for a hot meal or simply to sit and read the newspaper with a cup of coffee.

Darlene Downie is co-owner and works the front of the Café taking food orders and greeting people. I saw her give a food order to Garbanzo and when he looked at the ticket he instantly knew who the order was for. He stated, "I know all my regular customers just by looking at the ticket. I can tell you who they are."

Making customers feel at home is part of Garbanzo's business and goes back to his early childhood and hometown of Turrialba, Costa Rica where he was raised in his mother's restaurant. At the age of 3 his influence to the restaurant world had begun. His father was a shoemaker and his mother a homemaker. To make ends meet his mother opened up a small restaurant in his father's shoe store where she made homemade empanadas and small bites. The restaurant did so well that his father closed the shoe store to help grow the restaurant business.

When Garbanzo turned 9 he began to help out with washing glasses, filling sodas, and then eventually became a waiter. His mother cooked a variety of specialties such as beef tongue in tomato sauce, steak schnitzle, cabbage and radish salad, rice and beans with steak and plantains and two of Garbanzo's childhood favorites; a bean sandwich with potato chips and butter and a grilled cheese sandwich pressed by a waffle iron, which created these cool waffle patterns on the bread according to Garbanzo. 

I secretly hope Garbanzo recreates the grilled cheese sandwich using the waffle iron as I thought this was a brilliant idea out of a need.

At a young age his hospitality and generosity was most influenced by observing the interaction of the diverse people who came into his mother's restaurant. Folks would come into the town by horse, bus or train to do their daily shopping and then stop by the restaurant to eat or simply read the newspaper with a cup of coffee. This is very reminiscent of Orlando's Café today as patrons take the road most travelled; the Montauk Highway to Orlando's Café in Hampton Bays. Garbanzo realized everyone was the same no matter what their occupation or beliefs; the lawyer, priest, policeman or begger was one in the same.

After moving to the United States 20 years ago, Garbanzo honed his skills working locally at Crazy Dog, Station Bistro, 75 Main, John Ducks and finally New Paradise Café. Garbanzo says his style of cooking, while rooted in Costa Rica, was very much influenced by Mexican, Thai, French and Chinese cuisines. He learned how to properly make a variety of vinaigrettes and sauces, cooking with various types of meat, fish and vegetables, became enamoured with pastry and eventually learned how to manage a kitchen. 

The culmination of these experiences led him to open Orlando's Café at the end of 2004.

Garbanzo knew there was a need to create a Café that was affordable with super friendly service and dishes which are fresh and vibrant in flavors that everyone can enjoy. Orlando's Café is refreshingly down-to-earth with a very relaxed vibe with large windows which offer sunlight all year.

The diverse menu spans from breakfast sandwiches and huevos rancheros, to Costa Rican specialities like Casado of rice, black beans, salad and tortilla with meat or eggs to a few interesting Asian-derived dishes such as the thai grilled chicken salad or the cantonese fried rice. All of the baked items are made fresh everyday by Garbanzo who states, "My favorite part of the day is at 4am when I am preparing the baked goods. I love the feel of the dough, the smell of sugar and butter mixing together and cookies baking in the oven." 

One of my favorites is the Beso Sandwich, which means kiss in spanish. I find this name to be appropriate in that it is the perfect kiss of flavors; it is bright and scrumptious on a home-made kaiser roll with bacon, egg, pico and potatoes livened up with a flavorful green sauce. You can get all of the breakfast sandwiches with egg whites for those of you watching your diets.

Beso Sandwich

The top selling item is the huevos rancheros. It is evident how tasty this is considering my husband could not even wait 2 minutes for me to take a photo of this dish. According to my husband it is one of the best huevos rancheros he has ever had, stating, "the balance of flavors and ingredients is perfect."

huevos rancheros

Eva and Ralph have been loyal patrons to Orlando's Cafe since its opening in 2004 

Eva and Ralph have been loyal patrons since 2004 and since then Eva has been ordering the huevos rancheros every Saturday morning and brings her own dish to take home the leftovers. 

Zeppolis

I grew up on Zeppolis and considering I am Italian, I have to say these are by far the best I have ever had. My mother recently shared with me a story about my grandfather who she once caught on the side of the road in his car eating a bag full of donuts from his favorite local bakery before heading home. If he was alive today and tried these zeppolis I am afraid he would buy the entire rack and there would be a purchasing war. These golden gems are a cross between a choux pastry for profiteroles, a german pancake and an italian zeppole. They are light and delectable and worth the trip all year round and are only offered on Saturday and Sunday, so be sure to get there early as they sell out fast! 

Garbanzo stated, "Eva (who is shown above) also picks out her favorite Zeppole by its particular shape, which reminds her of a character or animal. " I however will take any shape and size, that is available.

Homemade Challah bread in the background is used to make the deep fried french toast. 

Tres Leches (three milks cake)  is a recipe Garbanzo got from his sister in Costa Rica who used to own a pastry shop there.

Orlando Garbanzo is passionate about his food and the community. Both him and Darlene Downie love their customers and I have to say it shows in their hospitality and the food Garbanzo creates everyday from his heart.

First time this family has been to Orlando's and stated they cannot wait to come back try some of the lunch items.

If I had one wish for Garbanzo it would be for his mother to take a trip to see his Café as I know she would be so proud to see it first hand. Garbanzo states, "My mother is afraid to fly so my nieces and nephews show her my creations via online." Orlando's Café sits in the heart of Hampton Bays off the main artery of Montauk Highway. Next time you are passing through stop off and get yourself a Kiss and a Zeppole to go.

Orlando's Café is open Tuesday - Sunday from 9am - 4pm and open late on Friday until 8pm. Closed on Mondays. Take-out or dine-in.

Located at: 40 West Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays. Phone: 631.728.2608

Duck Sausage with Cheddar Polenta and an Autumn Compote

/

My inspiration to make duck sausage started 2 years ago when I was competing in Jimmy’s No. 43 Cassoulet cook-off. I can go on and on about Cassoulet and will this coming January when it is Cassoulet competition time once again.

Sausage is really not that difficult to make and can be a fun process. There are many advantages in making your own sausages. You are in control of your own ingredients and can create your own personalized recipe to suit your taste.  

You can use any type of meat, either by itself or with one another. Your sausage mixture should consist of both lean meat at 60% and fatty meat at 40%. Common herbs used are: basil, oregano, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme and mint. Common spices used are: allspice, chili, coriander, cumin, ginger, mace, nutmeg and paprika. Some sausages may include a splash of spirits to add flavor and can act as a preservative too. You can create sausages which are stuffed into natural casings or you can try your hand at making patty-style skinless sausages as I have for this recipe.

The easiest device to use to make sausage is one with an electric grinder. My stand mixer works well and has a grinder attachment with 2 different size grinding plates course and fine. You simply turn the machine on at a low speed, push the meat down the feed tube with the pusher provided, and catch the ground meat into a bowl.

This recipe is a great autumn dish. The cheddar in the polenta paired with the duck sausage that has apple and currant undertones is devine. The autumn compote which is slightly sweet contrasts the rich and creamier flavors nicely.

Duck Sausage
Duck is a lean meat. Be sure to use a mixture of breast and thigh meat because the breast on its own can be a little dry.

ingredients

  • 1 lb skinless, boneless duck breast
  • 1 lb skinless, boneless Duck Thigh
  • ½ lb pork fat back
  • 1 tbsp of fresh sage leaves chopped
  • 1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh pepper
  • 1 tbsp  salt
  • 1 tbsp of minced shallots
  • 4 tbsp of apple jack whiskey
  • ¼ cup of currants soaked in apple jack whiskey

directions

  1. Soak the currants in apple jack whiskey for at least 1 hr. Any liquid leftover will be used for the sausage mixture. 
  2. Prep the herbs, spices and shallots then set aside.
  3. Cut the meat and pork fat back into 1 inch cubes and disperse together in a bowl.
  4. Refrigerate the meat mixture for at least 1 hour so it is chilled before putting through the feed tube to be ground.
  5. Have the grinder on low speed, use the course plate and press the meat through the feed tube into a bowl. Once the meat is in the bowl then add all your remaining ingredients that are at the ready and fold together so everything is evenly dispersed.
note: it is best to refrigerate the mixture overnight to allow the flavors to develop. Also if you do not have access to apple jack whiskey or would rather not use spirits you can omit and replace the soaking for currants with water.

Next Day
Scoop up the prepared sausage and roll mixture into a ball between your palms. Pat the ball to flatten into a patty shape. It should be about 2.5 inches wide for this recipe. In a non-stick pan cook each side of the sausage patty on medium heat. Once done set aside for later assembly.

note: depending on the size of your sausage patty depends on the cooking time. For this recipe each side took 2-3 minutes.

Cheddar Polenta

ingredients

  • 1 cup of cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup of dry polenta
  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 cups of milk
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 pat butter
  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp fresh Thyme
  • 1 tsp fresh pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

directions

  1. Lightly oil a casserole dish with 1 tbsp of olive oil which can hold a 1 inch high pour of polenta and have at the ready.
  2. Bring water, milk, 1 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of olive oil to a rapid boil.
  3. Lower the heat to a simmer and slowly add the polenta and whisk rapidly to keep polenta from clumping.
  4. Once all the polenta is combined begin to add the cream, cheddar and butter. Whisk until all ingredients are dispersed.
  5. Add the fresh thyme and pepper.
  6. Let the polenta cool in the refrigerator for a few hours before cutting. You can as well refrigerate polenta overnight.  
  7. When ready to cut use a 2 3/8 fluted round cutter.
  8. In a non-stick frying pan place 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. When hot sear both sides of the polenta until it is golden brown, approximately 2 minutes on each side.
  9. When done remove and place on dish for assembly.
note: these fluted cutters typically come in sets which are used for pastries, biscuits and cakes. I find the 2 3/8 smaller cutter works well for this recipe.  

Autumn Compote

ingredients

  • 2 large granny smith apples
  • ½cup of dried red cherries
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 2 cups of butternut squash
  • 1 medium turnip
  • 1 small acorn squash
  • 2 tbsp of good balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sage
  • 1 tsp salt and pepper
  • 1 cup of water

directions

  1. Preheat oven on bake for 350 degrees.
  2. Peel the apples, acorn squash, butternut squash and turnip. Cut into small cubes.
  3. Cut the red onion in half. Slice into thin semi rings.
  4. Place half the items above and the cherries into a baking dish.
  5. Drizzle the items with 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper and make sure everything is coated evenly.
  6. Repeat 4 and 5 above with the remainder of the ingredients minus the cherries. This mixture is going to be pureed for the dish.
  7. Bake vegetables and fruit until tender for 20-30 minutes.
  8. Take the one mixture with the cherries and set aside at the ready.
  9. Place other mixture into a small pot with 1 cup of water and puree over low heat. You can either do this with a hand held immersion blender or a counter blender.

Assembly

Place the cheddar polenta on the plate and place a tsp of the puree mixture on top. Then place the sausage patty on top of the puree and then top it off with the autumn compote. 

Duck from Crescent Duck Farm, Cheddar from Mecox Bay Dairy