Baked Bucatini Sformato, or Sformato di Bucatini al Forno: This is actually a timballo, and is drawn from Cavalcanti, the great 19th century Neapolitan gastronome. Rich food fit for a feast; to serve six you'll need:
Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (400 g) fresh mushrooms
- 1/4 pound (100 g) prosciutto
- 1 chunk of onion, minced
- 1/3 cup (60 g) unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup thick meat broth (condense unsalted bullion if need be)
- Minced parsley and basil
- 1 pound (450 g) perciatelli or bucatini
- 1/4 cup butter to grease the mold and dot the timballo with
- 2 1/4 cups (120 g) freshly grated Parmigiano
- 10 ounces (weight, 250 g -- this will be about 1 1/2 cups) heavy cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 egg whites, beaten to snowy peaks
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- An ounce of truffles (optional) gently scrubbed and thinly sliced
- Bread crumbs
Preparation:
Clean and slice the mushrooms and heat them over a gentle flame, until the water they contain has evaporated.
Sauté the prosciutto in a hint of butter with the onion, and then mince it with the mushrooms, and, if you're adding it, the truffle. Melt the remaining butter, add the mushroom mixture to it, and simmer it all for about 10 minutes.
Boil the bucatini in salted water and drain them when they're still quite al dente. Transfer them to a bowl and add to them the mushrooms, cream, most of the Parmigiano, tomato sauce, herbs, and if need be , a little broth. Beat the yolks and add them, then beat the whites until firm and fold them in too.
Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C).
Grease a mold large enough to hold everything, pour the bucatini mixture into it, level it, dot the top of the mold with the remaining butter, and sprinkle the remaining cheese and the bread crumbs over it too. Bake for about an hour, or until browned. Unmold it and serve it hot.
Sauté the prosciutto in a hint of butter with the onion, and then mince it with the mushrooms, and, if you're adding it, the truffle. Melt the remaining butter, add the mushroom mixture to it, and simmer it all for about 10 minutes.
Boil the bucatini in salted water and drain them when they're still quite al dente. Transfer them to a bowl and add to them the mushrooms, cream, most of the Parmigiano, tomato sauce, herbs, and if need be , a little broth. Beat the yolks and add them, then beat the whites until firm and fold them in too.
Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C).
Grease a mold large enough to hold everything, pour the bucatini mixture into it, level it, dot the top of the mold with the remaining butter, and sprinkle the remaining cheese and the bread crumbs over it too. Bake for about an hour, or until browned. Unmold it and serve it hot.
