📋Italian Rice Eggplant Timbale Recipe (Timballo di Melanzane)

Vegetarian Rice Timbale with Grilled Aubergine Recipe

📋Italian Rice Eggplant Timbale Recipe (Timballo di Melanzane)

Rice eggplant timbale is a risotto with meat and vegetables cooked in a mold. It is a Sicilian recipe called Timballo di Melanzane and can also be made with pasta. This version is similar to the Sartu in Naples. It is more challenging than Risotto, but you can make it in advance; it is delicious and presents well. Perfect for a big night dinner party.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword rice casserole, rice timbale, timballo

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings people

Calories 409kcal

Author Laura Tobin

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Rice

3 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
1 lb Carnaroli rice Riso Gallo
6 cup homemade stock (chicken or vegetable stock)
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup tomato sauce to cook the rice (optional)
½ cup dry white wine optional

For the Sauce

4 cup homemade tomato sauce
3 eggplants
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

For the filling and the covering

1 cup fresh mozzarella
3 fresh eggs
3 eggplants
salt additional salt for aubergines

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the rice

Stir fry the onion with olive oil at medium heat in a large saucepan with a wooden spoon; the onion should not burn.
1 onion, 3 tablespoon olive oil
Add the rice and increase to medium-high heat once the onion becomes translucent. The rice has to be toasted to seal the grains.
1 lb Carnaroli rice
If you want to make a red timbale, add a cup of tomato sauce. Deglaze with the white wine
1 cup tomato sauce, ½ cup dry white wine
Proceed to cook the rice like a risotto. The rice should be continually stirred and stock added regularly 1 or 2 ladles at a time. Cook for 15 minutes.
6 cup homemade stock
Remove from the heat, add the pecorino or parmesan cheese, and let it cool to room temperature.
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Once it is cold, mix in the eggs
3 fresh eggs

Grill the eggplants

Clean the eggplants, peel the skin and cut them lengthwise.
3 eggplants
Grill them over a hot iron pan, season them with salt and let them cool down.
salt

Covering the Baking tin

Oil a baking tin with a hole in the center
2 tablespoon olive oil
Line the tin with the grilled eggplant slices radially from the center to the external side

Composing the Timbale

Spread the rice on the side of the pan making the space to put in the fillings, and leaving some rice aside to cover the top.
Place the filling inside: mozzarella cut into cubes but also Bolognese sauce or meatballs if you like
Cover the top with the remaining rice
Cook in a hot oven at 390 F - 200 C for 40 minutes or until the top of the Timbale is nicely browned.
Make sure the rice has cooked enough to maintain its shape once turned. If you touch the top it will be hard and nicely crunchy.
Cut the remaining grilled eggplants into bite-sized pieces and add them to the tomato sauce and season with salt
4 cup homemade tomato sauce, 3 eggplants, 1 teaspoon salt
Once the Timbale is cooked, wait 10 minutes before turning it over on the serving plate.
Fill in the centre with the remaining sauce, decorate with some green and serve.
When you bring it to the table and cut the first slice, the filling will come out as a nice surprise.

Video

Notes

The timbale is made with the same rice as risotto, the best is Carnaroli but you can also use Arborio. It is important to use risotto rice as other types of rice like Basmati will not maintain their shape. The consistency of the rice should be compact but not mushy. Therefore sushi rice is also not suitable.
You can use different vegetables and fillings, and for non-vegetarian also meatballs or seafood. It is important that the filling has a compact consistency otherwise the Timbale will collapse when removed from the mould.
Mixing the filling with cheese, tomato sauce or béchamel will help the Timbale to maintain its shape.
To make sure that the rice does not stick to the pan, I oil the entire pan and line it with the grilled aubergine. You can also use grilled zucchini or any other vegetables, or for a non-vegetarian version line it with prosciutto or bacon.
When I made the risotto I use Homemade Stocks which I always keep a reserve in the freezer. If you want to know what else I keep in the freezer, you can read my article: Once a month freezer meal prep.
If you want to make a red timbale, you can add ¼ cup of tomato sauce before adding the stock to the rice.
If you are pressed for time, an easier option to consider is adding all the stock at once, and boiling the rice for 15 minutes until the stock is completely absorbed. Keep it covered and add hot water if necessary.
Prepare the eggplant sauce a day ahead, so that the sauce can really absorb the flavour of the eggplants.
For a non-vegetarian version, you can line the tin with prosciutto. You would need about 7 oz - 200 g of prosciutto.
Once the timbale is baked wait 10 minutes before turning it on a serving dish.
The timbale tastes even better the day after if you have any leftover.

Nutrition