This vegan Big Night timpano recipe is layers of red, white, and green pasta wrapped in flaky puff pastry. The flavors and colors of Italy, the perfect comfort food!
recipe originally published September 7, 2015
Vegan Timpano Recipe
Big Night is one of my favorite movies. Have you seen it? Two brothers running a restaurant, and make an epic meal and a big party for a guest of honor, Louis Prima.
This isn't the first movie inspired recipe I have made. My Chef's Mojo Cubano sandwich is another recipe from another favorite movie.
A Timpano - also called a Timballo - is an Italian baked pasta dish.
How to make a timpano like Big Night
A glorious carb stuffed with carbs. This would be perfect before a marathon. or during a Netflix one...
This is a two day project for me. Day one, I made batches of my slow cooker basil marinara and cashew bechamel. Day two, I cooked the pasta and made the dough. Okay, nope - this time I wondered what a puff pastry shell would be like?
Then on day two I cooked the pasta, popped open two cans of crescent dough, and layered the three colors inside. Oh. Yum.
Did you make this vegan timpano recipe?
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Vegan Timpano Recipe Big Night
The ultimate Italian comfort food: layers of red, white, and green pasta wrapped in a flaky puff pastry dome.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds penne pasta, cooked according to package instructions
- 1 large handful fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped
- â…“ cup Basil Pesto
- 1 ¼ cups Cashew Bechamel
- 2 cups Vegan Meat Crumbles
- 2 cups Slow Cooker Basil Marinara
- 2 tubes vegan crescent dough (sheets if you can find them)
- oil or cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Grease an oven safe bowl large enough to hold 2+ pounds of cooked pasta.
- Open crescent dough tubes, unroll one and pinch together to make one sheet. Use ⅓ of second tube to create a full square of dough. Line bowl with dough, draping over edge to seal closed later.
- Divide cooked penne noodles into three bowls. Add marinara and beef crumbles to one bowl, bechamel to second bowl, pesto and chopped spinach to third bowl, stirring all to coat completely.
- Layer pastas in dough lined bowl: marinara first (this will be the top once flipped over), bechamel second (middle layer), finishing with pesto spinach layer (base layer once flipped).
- Cover pasta with remaining crescent dough, pinching together with overlap dough to seal around edge. Bake at 350 °F for 38-43 minutes, or until dough is golden brown and completely cooked.
- I used an oven safe glass bowl, so I was able to see the dough bake and become golden brown). At 30 minutes, the top was perfectly browned, so I loosely covered with foil to keep from burning while continuing to bake).
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 356Total Fat: 11gUnsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 122mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 18g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
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Laura says
Can pie dough be used instead of crescent rolls?
Kristina Sloggett says
yes, it absolutely can, I have done this before. Enjoy!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
I've never seen a Timpano before...what a fun recipe! I definitely need to try this! And I need to see that movie too!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
It is my goal in life to make this. I have lofty goals.
Kristina Sloggett says
a good goal. Jason could not stop talking about this all week.
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
So Kristina, now of course I just HAVE to see Big Night...Never had a timpano either, but now I need that too. Needy girl I am. Love this cooks in a glass bowl. Very cool dish!
Laura @MotherWouldKnow says
The Big Night is one of my husband and my favorite movies too - and we dream of timpano but I've never tried to make it. This is inspirational, in the way that only a great blog can be - thanks. And if I make it you'll be the first person I give a shout-out to:)
Kristina Sloggett says
ah, thank you Laura - that means more than you know. I hope you DO make this, just because it is SO GOOD. and really fun too. my husband could not stop talking about it.
Becks (Not A Rabbit) says
I've never heard of Timpano but before (I live under a rock!) but it looks *AMAZING*. This is perfect food for carb loading before a (Netflix) marathon! And if the movie has this in it, I must see it!
Carbs wrapped in carbs? Feed me, Seymour! 😀
Kristina Sloggett says
HEE HEE! hi Becks *waves* you MUST see this movie, it is a great one.
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says
I have never seen this idea before but does it ever look good!! I cannot wait to show my husband!
Kristina Sloggett says
you should MAKE this for the husband! 😀 mine could not stop talking about it...