TIMBALLO

In the film Big Night, a clip from which I posted last night, the two struggling Italian restaurateur brothers, Primo and Secondo, decide to put on a fantastic feast for the singer Louis Prima. "Oh, no, Primo - not timpano!" exclaims Secondo, for timpano or timballo is notoriously complicated to make and rather heavy on pan use, I must say. [The two words are interchangeable, both referring to a drum shape.] Primo goes ahead and makes a glorious one and it has become a famous image from the film. The version that Primo makes is covered in pastry, but more often timballo is a dish of a filling enclosed in rice. In the film everyone enjoys the party, but sadly Louis Prima does not come - the brothers have been duped by a business rival and they are ruined.

Last night your intrepid blogger decided it was high time she made a timballo and very relieved - nay, ecstatic - she was when it [literally] turned out well. I don't have a proper timballo mould so it hasn't got a nice, domed top but, reader, if I say so myself, it was delicious. Here's what you do:

ARTICHOKE & CHICKEN TIMBALLO

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

2-3 fresh sage leaves, chopped

2 oz unsalted butter

4 tablesp olive oil

2 slices pancetta or coppata, cut into strips

4 oz chicken escalopes, cut into strips [In Italy the escalopes are sold very thin, but in Britain you might have to ask your butcher to beat them out for you, or do this yourself by wrapping them in clingfilm and bashing with a rolling pin]

a little flour

1 tablesp brandy

5 tablesp white wine

5 fl. oz milk

pinch grated nutmeg

handful flat-leaved parsley, chopped

3 artichokes

1.5 pints good, preferably home-made chicken stock

12 oz arborio or other risotto rice

pinch powdered saffron

Fry a third of the onion, half the garlic and the sage in 1 oz of the butter and 1 tablesp olive oil.

Dust the chicken strips with flour and add to the pan with the pancetta/coppata. Fry for a few minutes, without browning the onion, then add the brandy and 4 tablesp of the wine. Pour on the milk and let it all reduce slowly.

In another pan, fry another third of the onion, the rest of the garlic and the parsley slowly in 3 tablesp olive oil. Again, you don't want to brown the onion. Prepare the artichokes* and add them with the stock and 1 tablesp of the wine. Stir and cook for about 20 mins until the artichokes are tender. Drain them and keep the stock.

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Now you need a risotto or wide pan about 2'' deep for the rice component is basically a risotto: Fry the rest of the onion in 1 oz butter in this pan, then add the rice and saffron. Stir it for a minute or two, then add about a third of the chicken and artichoke stocks. There is a lot of talk about risotto being "difficult" but it won't be if you follow the Welshcakes Limoncello method! Bring the stock to the boil, stir the rice, then let it simmer while you have a drink. When you have finished your drink the rice will have absorbed the stock. Stir it and add another third, have another drink, then repeat this step.

When the rice has absorbed all the stock and you are feeling nice and mellow, give it a good stir then use two thirds of it to line an oiled ovenproof mould or dish. Then add the chicken mixture and cover with the rest of the rice. It will need, at most, 10 minutes in the oven to firm up.

Remove it from the oven, loosen the sides with a round-bladed knife, put a serving plate on top, [pray] then flip the whole thing over - fast! Remove the mould and garnish the timballo with the artichokes.

* Note on preparing artichokes: I used to find this a pain but have come to the conclusion that you have to be ruthless with the things and you need to use young, elongated artichokes. If you use the tough "old" artichokes often sold in in Britain, you will end up with nothing left, unless you are a lot more dextrous than I am. It is essential to rub all cut surfaces with half a lemon to prevent discolouration when preparing artichokes. I find Marcella Hazan's instructions on the process the easiest to follow.