Recipe of the Week: Butternut and Fontina Timbales
A popular appetizer served at restaurants all over Italy, it is usually made for special occasions. It is very similar to a souffle that does not have to rise. I had this version at a restaurant in the Franciacorta Wine region in northern Italy during one of my gastronomic tours. The delicate flavor and creamy texture made it so delicious that it was all gone before I knew it. Makes 12. (Chef tip: Make sure that your water is not too high in your water bath or it will soak your little timbales.)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 whole cloves garlic
1 carrot, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 whole rosemary sprig
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup Swiss chard, chiffonade
1 pound butternut squash, roasted
2 eggs
Freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese, well drained
1/2 cup Fontina cheese, grated
12 (1/2 cup) timbale molds, double buttered
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange oven rack in lower third of the oven. Place the buttered molds in a deep roasting pan. Bring a teapot of water to a boil.
Place olive oil and butter in a large frying pan and saute garlic, shallot, carrot and celery. Add Swiss chard. Saute until shallots are transparent. Add rosemary, bay leaf and wine and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove garlic, bay leaf and rosemary.
Spoon roasted squash into a food processor. Add the Swiss chard mixture, eggs and seasoning and process in bursts to combine well. Add the ricotta and Fontina cheese and process until smooth.
Spoon filling into timbale molds. Place the roasting pan on the oven rack and carefully pour boiling water around the molds to a depth of 1/2 inch. Slide the timbales into the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the filling is set. Timbales will hold in hot water for 30 minutes. Invert molds onto platter or hot plates and serve.