Timpana

What it really is

Maltese baked pasta pie with tomato-meat sauce enclosed in pastry.

Timpana is a Maltese baked pasta dish enclosed in pastry. A familiar version combines pasta with a meat-and-tomato sauce, covers or surrounds it with pastry, and bakes the assembled dish until set. Timpana is a traditional Maltese food. Recipes vary in pasta shape, sauce and pastry, so the menu should describe the particular version.

Cooked pasta is mixed with a savory sauce, commonly containing meat and tomato, and placed in or under a pastry case. The assembled timpana is baked so the filling firms and the pastry turns golden. It is therefore both a pasta dish and a baked pie-like preparation. Eggs may be used to bind the filling in some recipes, and cheese can also appear; neither should be presumed in every version.

Timpana is often served as a substantial main dish and may be prepared for family meals or gatherings. The pastry encloses the pasta, making it different from baked pasta served uncovered in a dish. Its structure also means that a slice can contain layers of crust and filling. The exact ratio of pasta to sauce and meat differs among cooks.

How it's served

Allow the timpana to rest briefly after baking so it can be sliced cleanly. Serve as a main course, with any salad or side listed separately.

How to write it on the menu

Describe it as Maltese pasta pie and state the sauce, meat and pastry ingredients. Check wheat, egg, dairy and any filling additions, plus shared equipment, before making allergen or dietary claims.