Savoy cabbage timbale with taleggio fondue
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 30 min
- Serving: 6
- Cost: Low
- Note + 10 minutes of resting the unmolded timbale
PRESENTATION
Savoy cabbage timbale is a classic Italian vegetable dish that really shows off how everyday ingredients can become something special. In southern areas like Naples and Sicily, people love these layered dishes known as timballi. You start with tender savoy cabbage leaves, wrapping up square spaghetti mixed with more cabbage and cubes of salty pancetta. The outside becomes a little golden and crispy from baking, while the inside is a mix of pasta and greens that feels both special and homey.
Really, the first bite offers a mix of moist pasta, rich bacon, and gentle cabbage flavor—all tucked into a pretty dome that looks amazing on a plate. It’s the kind of food that feels just right for a family Sunday dinner or any special occasion.
Plus, what really makes this savoy cabbage timbale stand out is the creamy taleggio fondue poured on top. Taleggio is a cheese from Lombardy in the north, so this dish is a really good meeting of North and South—southern technique and northern cheese. This cabbage timbale recipe uses a cheese sauce that’s super velvety and melts beautifully over the timbale, soaking into every bite.
Thing is, the sauce adds a little tangy kick—bringing all the flavors together. In southern Italy, people have always enjoyed baking pasta into these big, oven-browned casseroles, but adding taleggio gives it a cheesy twist you don’t find everywhere. And you know what? Compared to a plain baked cabbage casserole, this one has more flair and layers of taste. People love seeing all the colors and the steamy cheese when it’s cut open at the table.
You end up with a vegetable timbale that feels rustic yet a bit fancy—something that turns basic ingredients like cabbage and pasta into a real showstopper. The whole dish points out what you can do with a few good ingredients, a bit of time, and the right mix of Italian culinary ideas. For sure.
You might also like:
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for a 9-inch diameter mold
- Spaghetti Quadrati pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)
- Verza (savoy cabbage) 1.5 lbs (700 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper 1 pinch
- Shallot 1.75 oz (50 g)
- Smoked pancetta 2.8 oz (80 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil 3 ¾ tbsp (50 g)
- Grana Padano PDO cheese 0.7 oz (20 g) - grated
- for greasing the mold
- Extra virgin olive oil ¾ tbsp (10 g)
- for the taleggio fondue
- Taleggio cheese 7 oz (200 g)
- Whole milk 0.4 cup (100 g)
- Butter 2 tbsp (30 g)
- Type 00 flour ¼ cup (30 g)
- Nutmeg 1 pinch
How to prepare Savoy cabbage timbale with taleggio fondue
To prepare the Savoy cabbage timbale with taleggio fondue, start by washing and drying the vegetables. Peel the cabbage 1 and set aside the tougher outer leaves (about 3.5 oz). Cut the hard base of the stem 2 and divide it in half 3.
Using a small but sharp knife, make a triangular cut to remove the inner hard part of the stem 4. Then, cut the vegetable into julienne strips: you will get about 11 oz 5. Take the outer leaves you set aside and cut the tough inner part that you can remove 6.
In a high-sided pan, bring plenty of salted water to a boil and blanch the leaves for a few seconds 7. Transfer them to a container with water and ice cubes 8: this way, the leaves will remain a bright color. Dry them with a clean kitchen towel 9 and set aside.
Take a bundt mold measuring 7 inches at the base, 9 inches at the opening, 3.5 inches in height, and oil it: make sure to brush oil over the entire surface 10. Take the cabbage leaves and then line the mold with the slightly overlapping cabbage leaves 11 until fully covered 12: set the mold aside.
Now move on to the pasta seasoning: finely chop the shallot 13 and cut the bacon into cubes 14. Take a non-stick pan and pour in the oil, heat it, and let the shallot soften over low heat 15, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
When it is softened, add the bacon 16 and cook for 1 minute on low heat. Then add the cabbage and cook for 5-6 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir the ingredients for even cooking 17. At this point, bring salted water to a boil in a large high-sided pot and cook the pasta 18.
When it's al dente, drain it directly into the pan with the seasoning 19, sprinkle with grated Grana Padano 20 and mix all the ingredients well, cooking for another 2 minutes. Then transfer to the mold 21.
Level the pasta in the mold and bake in a preheated convection oven at 392°F for 10 minutes (if using a static oven at 428°F for 20 minutes) 22. While the timbale is in the oven, prepare the taleggio fondue by cutting the cheese into cubes 23. Heat the milk in a saucepan 24 without bringing it to a boil.
Add nutmeg 25 and melt the butter over low heat in another saucepan. Now pour the flour in a thin stream 26 while mixing the ingredients with a hand whisk: you should obtain a fairly thick and golden roux 27.
At this point, add the now hot milk 28 and thicken over low heat. While adding the cheese 29, continue to stir with the whisk to obtain a smooth cream. Finally, season with salt and pepper. At this point, the timbale will be ready: take it out of the oven and let it cool slightly, then unmold it by gently turning it over onto a serving plate 30.
Once unmolded 31, transfer the taleggio fondue to a kitchen squeeze bottle and pour it over your preparation 32. The Savoy cabbage timbale with taleggio fondue is now ready to be enjoyed 33!