Discover a crêpe lasagna called timballo from Abruzzo! | Pasta Grannies

This timballo recipe really needs a group to make all the different stages! This version is a speciality of Aquilano in Teramo province, Abruzzo. Despite having at least 13 layers, the use of scrippelle, very thin crepes, keeps it light.
The festival or saga takes place on the first weekend in August if you happen to be in Abruzzo.

[@jrthiker9908]

So happy you're showing the rest of the world this incredible dish from our province of Teramo! Here it's usually called timballo teramano, and they really are as good as they look. Very light in texture, sometimes they are made with more veggies in the layers, like Swiss chard and carrots (very big in Teramo cuisine.) I've even had one with bits of chopped artichokes, which was delicious. The one thing these grannies do that everyone does is keep the amount of sugo or tomato sauce to a minimum. It's just a flavor/moisture item and you shouldn't see it in the finished product. And never top it with tomato sauce! The sagras, or food festivals, devoted to timballo are great fun, and it's easy to eat 2 servings. Hint...skip all the antipasti offerings and go right to the timballo and a great bottle of Cerasuolo (rosato) or Pecorino (white) wine. It's a full meal in one dish.

[@pastagrannies]

I think we'll have to return and film a few more variations.. I didn't know about the carrots, you must have sandy soil? best wishes, Vicky

[@jrthiker9908]

@@pastagrannies Sandy soil along the coastline, and gritty with yellow clay up into the hills, good for all the vineyards and olive trees. I think because of the influence from the French and Spanish rule in the past, the use of soffritto (mirepoix) is common, as are herbs like bay leaf, rosemary. Even soffritto in whole onion/carrot/celery form like the grannies did for the sugo. Garlic is always in moderation here, and traditionally garlic and onion were not normally used together (as told to me by an Abruzzese chef friend.) Abruzzo gets the best from the north and south, we're in a culinary transitional area. Butter only for pasta frolla/crostate, if even that; olive oil for everything else. Witness the very light use of the butter by the grannies. Cuisine that's surprisingly refined yet fearlessly simple. Check out the timballo sagra at Campli....it's particularly admired. Love your videos! You're doing a wonderful thing documenting the regional pastas of Italy.

[@Sue-ec6un]

I love how it feels like I am learning from my own Nonna. God rest her soul.

[@gizmo7877]

That is a lot of work! So wonderful to see how four woman have been doing this together for 40 years in harmony. God bless them. They could teach the whole world a thing or two about friendship and cooperation! They’ve given me an idea of making a dessert with the crepes layered like that! So glad I’m Italian!

[@antoncaldwell6726]

All I can say is wow! I love Italian food 😋

[@salishseaquest7952]

That Timballo is gorgeous! They are a 'well-oiled' team, producing a delicious work of art. Wish I could have been there to taste it! Thanks!

[@trupti.marolia]

Learning something new every week. Thank you to all the nonnas ♥️♥️♥️

[@scottamori3188]

Many hands make light work? I am not so sure. This is a gorgeous but labor intensive dish that these ladies prepare expertly. Every episode leaves me awestruck in some way, and the enormity of the scale of their festival prep cannot be overstated. I can almost taste it from here. Thanks, again, for another fantastic episode.

[@pastagrannies]

hi Scott, yes making all the timballo bakes is hugely hard work, made a little bit easier with the advent of a freezer. 🙂🌺 best wishes, Vicky

[@sigridmecklinger110]

Um Himmels Willen!!!! Was für eine filigrane Arbeit!!!!! Ich hoffe, dass jeder, der dieses Gericht essen darf, auch weiß, welche Arbeit dahinter steckt! Hohen Respekt vor den Damen 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@DerAdler82]

Da es sich um ein traditionelles Gericht handelt, weiß jeder, der es isst, wie es zubereitet wird. Zumindest diejenigen, die in dieser Region leben oder dieses Video gesehen haben! 😄

[@sigridmecklinger110]

@@DerAdler82 Ja, natürlich, ich wollte nur nochmal zum Ausdruck bringen, dass man dieses Gericht so richtig genießen soll, wegen des Aufwandes😊

[@DerAdler82]

@@sigridmecklinger110 Ja, klar! Jeder Bissen sollte genossen werden. 😁

[@randomsurfer3963]

I had heard of it but never tried it, sure looks very delicious. It does look like it is best prepared as a team effort, so many steps to be done...

[@adamthompson3691]

60 crepes for each tray, and they make 40 trays for the festival! That's 2,400 crepes! Amazing.

[@pastagrannies]

hi Adam, it's a marathon! best wishes, Vicky

[@lulububu721]

Wow that looks and sounds absolutely amazing and delicious. Thank you very much for sharing this with us, it looks just luscious. Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks again!!! 🇮🇹 Tina🇮🇹

[@ginalouise1284]

One of my favorites! Brava Vicki and Co. Thank you for these brief yet joyous glimpses of true art - Gracie, much love to all from Carmel by the Sea xoxo

[@eolobrontolo9117]

❤

[@pastagrannies]

I'm glad you enjoyed the episode Gina 🙂🌺 best wishes, Vicky

[@samanthabirkett4819]

I wish I had even an ounce of Italian blood. This looks so delicious and unique 😋 😍 👌 💕

[@nealieanderson512]

Oh my gosh…..that looks soooo amaaazzzziiinnnngggg!!!!

[@LaRomana59]

I was in Abruzzo last summer and this video inspired me to go to their sagra where I met three of the four grannies! It was a fabulous experience and, of course, the timballo was delicious!

[@pastagrannies]

That's excellent to hear! I expect they enjoyed meeting you too! best wishes, Vicky

[@remconet]

This is such a cool original recipe! And the fact these women have been making them together for 40 years is really special.

[@user-jm1mj3nn9w]

Удивительное блюдо и потрясающе слаженная командная работа! Как этим дамам удается оставаться стройными?😊

[@Kelli.Hicks.5]

This looks amazing. I'd love to give it a try. 😋

[@ingelopez9829]

Amazing how these wonderful ladies work together preparing this delicious dish! Wish I were there to savor this delicacy.

[@jinglebelle18]

Oh they're beautiful nonnas! I love their energy and friendship! ❤

[@TPark-rf3lt]

i literally just watched the timballo pasta granniea from 4 years ago... whoa so cool this showed up in my feed! ❤❤❤

[@phronsiekeys]

Wow! That looks amazing! And I love their sweet check matching aprons!

[@juliazappone2021]

It's wonderful to know these traditions are being carried on by friends who have been doing this for 40 years. It looks divine! Thank you Vicky and the team for these Pasta Grannies.

[@pastagrannies]

Our pleasure Julia! best wishes, Vicky

[@georgejiglau3980]

After seeing this a few weeks ago, we put the timballo on the list of musts of our summer vacation to Italy. So we went to the Sagra del Timballo in Floriano this evening. So very jolly and tasty! My boy (8) has been dreaming of it ("I plan to eat all the timballo in the world!"), but eventually he didn't have his portion because "there are some elements which are not to my liking" (aka spinach and zucchini). But the fritelle con prosciutto and the formaggio fritto did the trick anyway. And more timballo for the rest of us. So thanks - both to you and to the nonne!

[@attiaasif2533]

It is very unique and different recipe but looks delicious love it

[@jeffj2495]

Fantastic. These ladies are the very best. Thank you for posting this.

[@VerhoevenSimon]

Thank you for shar ing, that looks delicious.

[@bryansanchez1873]

this look amazing!!!!!

[@sharendonnelly7770]

Magnificent! Really enjoyed this video!

[@sih1095]

Oh to go to this event. How wonderful..

[@aris1956]

3:28 That's how meatballs are made in Italy for lasagna, even for spaghetti or pasta and not those big meatballs like they do in America for spaghetti.

[@DK-qj7cr]

We believe if it’s bigger then it’s better 🤦🏼‍♀️😂🤣

[@aris1956]

@@DK-qj7cr I know ! In America there's a bit of a mentality.... “the bigger the better”, even for example making a recipe you think the more stuff you put in the better the dish comes out, when often it's completely the opposite. PS: Simple things, with only a couple of ingredients, as Italian cuisine often shows us, are many times the best.

[@elisaastorino2881]

My aunt from Le Marche makes lasagne with those tiny little meatballs. Actually, Italians make bigger meatballs if they are to be served on their own - slightly bigger than a golf ball. So who do you think started making those big American meatballs? Italian immigrants like my grandparents. They could afford meat in this country, although they were still stretching it out to fill a lot of empty stomachs. Lots of breadcrumbs and cheese also made meatballs that were light and tender even when they were almost the size of a baseball. Although it is different from the Italian way, it's not worse by any means. They had to adapt and make do.

[@jrthiker9908]

@@elisaastorino2881 Thanks for the excellent analysis of the changes in the meatball between Italy and the Italian-American immigrant experience. My husband is from south Jersey/Philly and we live in Teramo province, right on the border with Le Marche. All the meatballs here, even in spaghetti alla chitarra, are made tiny like your aunt's. And very simple without the stretching ingredients, usually no garlic (the grannies' recipe in this video is very authentic.) If you go a few hours south of us towards Puglia/Bari/Brindisi, the meatballs become larger and are served as a secondo piatto after the pasta course. I love my in-law's recipe for the large meatballs Jersey style, they are light as air and the breadcrumbs soaked in milk make the difference. What seems to have happened with the Abruzzese/Campanian/Sicilian immigrants into the NY/NJ area is a combining of the Napolitano and Abruzzese sugo recipes. Probably throwing the larger meatballs into the 3 day back-of-burner everything-and-the-kitchen-sink Napolitano base sugo. Then serving it all together American style because the dinner time became shorter as everyone adapted to American work hours. Once you get over here and start eating the different regional tomato sauce styles, it starts to make sense and one appreciates the Italian melting pot (red gravy pot LOL) that is Italo-American cuisine.

[@cliffarroyo9554]

@@elisaastorino2881 I thought that spaghetti and meatballs was a combination/creation of mixing Italian and American eating habits. Italians separate meals into smaller courses (so a starchy dish like pasta or risotto is separate from the meat course) while Americans usually have starch and meat together.... a lot of Italian American dishes that Italians find off-putting seem to follow from that principal of adapting Italian dishes to American eating habits.

[@glorytoukraine619]

Amazing! I will make it for my family tonight! Such a great ricette, verified by generations! Thank you!

[@EB-yf6rb]

What an elaborate and beautiful dish.

[@blackout4988]

Wow! What a recipe! :P Delicious...

[@axelwalter4046]

Beautiful ! Le Brave !

[@mrJohnDesiderio]

As an Abruzzese, I approve!

[@meltz911]

A masterpiece!

[@Ingenuity009]

Looks like the best lasagna ever🤩

[@CrowSkeleton]

Never seen one like that before!

[@andya857]

Super Nonna's .Fantastic..🍲

[@claudiomenesesc]

Vicki! did not see you trying the timballo....

[@pastagrannies]

hi Claudio, do you want to see me try it in every episode? I had assumed variety would be good - but don't worry we all sat down to lunch afterwards 🙂 It's much lighter than you think it should be with all those layers. best wishes, Vicky

[@claudiomenesesc]

@@pastagrannies We never get tired of seeing you Vicki. Buon appetito!

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Remarkable. It must be very filling, with so little flour in it!

[@irenedennis1003]

Yum!

[@sinemsb7]

Looks amazing! I`m from Turkey and this reminds me of our “börek”, made with thin, rolled out dough instead. Seems quite similar!😊

[@solargourmet8245]

awesome team!

[@grouchosaidit5454]

40 years cooking together!

[@andreamaiorana8490]

That looks wonderful! I can see why it would take 4 ladies to prepare it!

[@christineb8148]

They cook with the rhythm of sisters.

[@karllazlo6237]

I don't think people realize what they've just seen. This is a secret nonna recipe!

[@peterdecesaro5021]

"Lu Timballe" e' la regina della cucina Teramana. Gnam gnam.

[@gildatristao]

Lovely. How come nobody knows about this? Congratulations!

[@didisinclair3605]

What an achievement!! It will be a joyous Saga this year, after the Covid interruptions!!

[@Getpojke]

What a simply awesome dish! I first saw il timpano in the excellent 1996, Stanley Tucci film Big Night. Where "...this is so f*****g good I should kill you" is said about it. I've made a film accurate version (as did Babish on his YT channel) & a crepe version, both for dinner parties. Its a total show stopper when it comes to the table. But you do want a sleep afterwards & many cannot handle the thought of dessert after a wedge of it. It is one of the labour's of Heracles to make it though if going solo. But those excellent Pasta Grannies have the right idea teaming up. Theirs looked marvellous & I bet it tasted wonderful. I'd recommend everyone try it at least once in their life. Thanks as always, brilliant video & seeing them work in such a simpatico manner makes me happy. Cheers James. 🍝

[@pastagrannies]

hi James, I'm glad you enjoyed the episode and hats off for making several versions of timballo. I think there must be one for every day of the year and beyond with the variations within Teramo province and then across southern Italy. The idea is to fill people up, especially so at wedding feasts, so that hosts are considered generous and everyone one leaves happily stuffed! best wishes, Vicky

[@Getpojke]

@@pastagrannies I did indeed enjoy it. Its truly a stupendous dish, both to make & eat. It'll truly make guests think their hosts are generous as you say as it's a task to make & really fills you to the back gunwales. The episode encouraged me to big out the fil Big Night again over the weekend. Such a good movie & that other champion of Italian food Stanley Tucci, as well as starring, helped write & produce it. If you haven't watched it I'm sure you'd enjoy it. Looking forward to next week's episode. James.

[@HopeLaFleur1975]

This is one heck of a lasagna 😂 its the Rocky of lasagna 🎉

[@poultryfancier2004]

it looks delicious; what a job!

[@albatrosone]

There should be loads of festa or “Sagra” all over Italy in the summer and autumn. There you can find original local dishes and it’s always an occasion to mingle with the locals. Love those traditions ❤

[@DerAdler82]

Actually, in Italy there are local festivals (or "Sagre") throughout the whole year (even in spring and winter), as often these events are linked to the celebration of the local patron saint. Obviously, those celebrated during spring and summer time are the most popular.

[@qasaaye23]

Dolce vita🎉🎉

[@WinstonSmithGPT]

Every village has its own scripelle recipe but they are all in units of tablespoons and eggshells. If you haven’t filmed le virtù yet, it belongs on the list!

[@pastagrannies]

hi Winston, no we haven't filmed le virtù yet - it's on the list! Many thanks and best wishes, Vicky

[@natrixxvision6997]

Vincenzo’s Nonna also makes this recipe. I remember that episode.

[@andrewmcfarland57]

❤

[@josiemorgan5401]

🤗💐🙏

[@v.5799]

I am so enjoying your videos. I wish to move to Italy - to apply for my citizenship jure sanguinis. Rather than choose a rental and live alone - is there any way that I might live with one of your Grannies? I will move to Italy permanently, once I am accepted as a citizen, but for now I would much prefer living in a home environment. The jure sanguinis process generally takes from 3 months to one year. xox

[@eogg25]

I thought I invented the idea of making lasagna out of crepes. been doing this for years, my parents are both Italian, my father is from Sicily. I can only assume got the idea from my other life, which must have been in Abbruzo.

[@axion8788]

A streaming service recently aired a pasta series that in some ways mimics your channel. IT DOESN'T COMPARE!

[@pastagrannies]

Thank you 🙂🌺🌺 best wishes, Vicky

[@ciambellina]

"screpele" would be smth btw scrippelle and crespelle? 😂

[@purplestarowl89]

😋😋😋😢😭😭💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💞💞💞💖💖🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡💘💘💖💖💖💖💜💜💜💞💞💕🍲🍲🍲🍲🥘🥘🥘🥘🥘🥘🧡🧡🧡🧡💞💕💜💜💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓

[@mas2988]

They should not use aluminium pots😢

[@john2914]

This content certainly not for the american folks, but very nice.

[@gilanganeh1]

first

[@avalon449]

Does not look appetizing.

[@eolobrontolo9117]

Luckily, you still could not eat it. 🙂

[@aris1956]

I bet with this opinion you will be quite lonely.

[@gipsi2001]

It looks gorgeous to me ❤

[@angellover02171]

Lol😂😂😂

[@lisam9233]

How good does this look? I mean seriously…I’m practically drooling over here. I may have to attempt this some day when I have lots of time and energy. 😋🤤🫢