Timpano di Maccheroni (Mystic Pasta Dome)

From Mario Batali's Holiday Food. I plan to try this for my birthday.

Anyone who has seen Stanley Tucci's cinematic masterpiece, Big Night, will remember Primo's rendition of this classic, which takes its name from a large drum. My version differs from that one in many ways, but like it, it makes for a dramatic presentation. Surprisingly, it is not nearly as tricky to prepare as it looks. Except for the rigatoni, you can prepare the whole thing the day before; just blanch the pasta and assemble the dish in the afternoon before your guests arrive. It can then rest in the refrigerator for several hours before the final cooking. You will need a 4 quart metal mixing bowl for the final assembly.

Dough

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces lard or butter or vegetable shortening
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt ((end of dough ingredients)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (4 ounces)
• 2 lbs rigatoni pasta or ziti pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the assembly

• 2 1/2 cups ragu napoletano neapolitan meat pasta sauce (I use Ragu Napoletano (Neapolitan Meat Sauce))
• 2 cups freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1-1 1/2 cup bechamel sauce (I use Besciamella Sauce)
• 1/2 lb prosciutto, crudo cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 3 gratings nutmeg
• 12 polpette alla napoletana neapolitan meatballs (use Polpette Alla Napoletana (Neapolitan Meatballs)
  

1. To make the dough: Place the flour on a wooden work surface, make a well in the top.
2. Cut the lard or other fat into ¼-inch pieces and place in the center of the well with the yolks, ½ teaspoon salt, and a teaspoon of ice water. Mix well with the tips of your fingers to form a lumpy mass. Bring together as a dough and knead for 4-5 minutes. Wrap in plastic and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a spaghetti pot and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
4. Roll out pasta to a large circle ¼-inch thick. Butter the metal bowl and dust thickly with the toasted bread crumbs. Lay the pasta in the bowl to line it completely, with a 1 ½-inch edge hanging over the rim.
   
5. Cook the rigatoni/ziti in the boiling water, 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and refresh under cold running water, or an ice bath, until cold, 2-3 minutes.Toss with olive oil, and set aside.
6. Mix half of the cooked rigatoni/ziti with 2 ½ cups meat sauce and ½ cup of Parmiagiano, and set aside. Mix the remaining cooked rigatoni with half of the Besciamella, ¼ cup of Parmigiano, the prosciutto, and nutmeg.(Cook's Note: I probably didn't add quite as much sauce as the recipe suggests, just added enough until it looked right.) Place this besciamella-sauced rigatoni/ziti into the bowl, and press lightly. Sprinkle with some of the grated Parmigiano, I added a good layer.Arrange the meatballs on top in an even layer, and press down carefully. Sprinkle with more Parmigiano. Spread the meat-sauced pasta over the meatballs and press down gently.
   
7. Fold the extra pasta over the whole thing, and press gently to seal. Cover the open top with foil and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and invert onto a large serving platter, without removing the bowl.Allow to rest 10 minutes, then carefully loosen the pasta around the sides with a knife and knock with your knuckles to release the bowl. Serve immediately with the remaining shredded Parmigiano on the side, cutting the timpano into wedges to serve.