Timpana – It’s Not For the Faint Hearted!

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7

2. Fry the onion, garlic and bay leaf in some olive oil until soft. Add the minced bacon and beef and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the diced tin tomatoes, beef stock and tomato paste and cook for a further few minutes. Grate in some nutmeg, season to taste and gently simmer for a further 30 minutes

3. Meanwhile, cook macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the instructions on the packet.

When the pasta is al dente, drain and mix the meat sauce into the macaroni. Add three eggs and the grated grano padano. Mix well and then allow to cool.

4. Lightly oil a 40x26cm baking dish and then roll out half the puff pastry to fit the baking dish. Spoon the macaroni and meat sauce into the baking dish. Cover with the remaining puff pastry and fold the edges. Glaze the top and edges with beaten egg.

5. Bake at to 220C/425F/Gas 7 for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4 and bake for a further 30 minutes.

Once cooked, allow the timpana to stand for 10 minutes before serving as this allows for the timpana to slice neatly.