After all the hubbub and the thrill of gift giving had ended and some adult relative who had come to stay was assembling a toy that I refused to assemble because I can’t bear to read instructions, it was always our intention to loll around for a while in our pajamas, sip coffee, and watch the children short-circuit as they bounced from one toy to another. Every year we imagined that these rare moments of repose were a possibility, as guests would not arrive for Christmas dinner until midafternoon. But every year this never happened. Here is the reason why.
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There is a dish, a very special dish, that is served in our home on Christmas Day. It is called timpano. This is a baked drum of pastrylike dough filled with pasta, ragù, salami, various cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, and meatballs. It’s a big, heavy dish, and needless to say very filling. The recipe and the tradition of serving it on special occasions, particularly Christmas, were brought to America by my father’s family. I never remember not having it on Christmas Day, whether we were celebrating at our home or at the home of one of my dad’s siblings. It is quite a showstopper, so much so that we chose to feature it in Big Night as the centerpiece of the film’s climactic meal. However, its preparation is very labor-intensive, and the cooking process requires much time and attention. It is for this last reason that, even though we would not be sitting down to eat until about two or three p.m., my parents would arrive at about eleven a.m. to begin the process of finishing the cooking of the timpano, which they had painstakingly assembled a couple of days before.
Upon hearing the sound of car tires on the gravel drive and a moment later the shouts of “Merry Christmas!” from my parents’ mouths, I would sheepishly look at Kate. She would sigh quietly and then, as she slowly turned and stared at me, I would see something die in her eyes. At this point my anxiety level would skyrocket and I’d flit off to the bar to see if I couldn’t find liquid calm in a bloody Mary or a scotch sour. Laden with gifts and platters of food,III including the pièce de résistance shrouded in a large dishcloth, my elegantly dressed parents would climb the stairs smiling from ear to ear, as thrilled to see us as if we’d all been separated for decades, when in fact we had only just seen them the night before. They were so happy and excited, how could I even think of being put out by their extremely early arrival? （Well, perhaps not so much me as my poor wife.） I will tell you how. The timpano.
First let me give you the recipe so that you might acquaint yourselves with this traditional Tucci family fare.
Timpano
— SERVES 12 TO 16 —
（THE PROPORTIONS MAY BE ADAPTED TO FIT A SMALLER OR LARGER CONTAINER）
The dough for timpano is rolled out into a thin round, the diameter of which is determined by the pan you are baking it in. Add together the diameter of the bottom of the pan, the diameter of the top of the pan, and twice the height of the pan. The total will equal the approximate diameter needed. The dough may be kneaded in advance and set aside while you prepare the pan, or refrigerated overnight. Return it to room temperature before rolling it out. It is important to generously grease the pan with butter and olive oil before lining the pan with the dough. Greasing and lining the pan with the dough may be done while the pasta is cooking.
The meat used in preparing the ragù is generally served for dinner the night before the timpano is baked, because no one has room for anything other than salad after eating timpano.
— FOR THE DOUGH —
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
? cup water
— TO PREPARE THE PAN —
Butter
Olive oil
— FOR THE FILLING —
3 pounds ziti, cooked very al dente （about half the time recommended on the package） and drained （18 cups cooked）
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups Ragù Tucci （double the recipe on page 71）， at room temperature
4 cups （？ x ?-inch pieces） Genoa salami, at room temperature
4 cups （？ x ?-inch cubes） sharp provolone cheese, at room temperature
12 hard-boiled large eggs, shelled, quartered lengthwise, and each quarter cut in half to create chunks, at room temperature
4 cups little meatballs, at room temperature
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
6 large eggs, beaten
To make the dough: Place the flour, eggs, salt, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. （A large-capacity food processor may also be used.） Add 3 tablespoons of the water and process. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together and forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead to make sure it is well mixed, about 10 minutes. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.