I saw this recipe in the Food Network Magazine and I just had to cook it. I changed a few bits about the recipe, one of which was adding Green Bell Pepper to the onion mixture for inside.

Sausage-and-Rice Timbale

Time: 15 minutes (prep); 1 hour 15 mins (cook)

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium onion, chopped 
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 6 Italian pork sausages, casings removed
• 2 TBSP minced garlic
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons Italian breadcrumbs
• 4 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups grated pecorino romano cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 2 ounces deli-sliced provolone cheese (6-8 slices)

Instructions

Springform Pan

1. Bring a large pot of salted water (or chicken broth/not included in directions amount) to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. 
2. Drain, shaking the colander to remove any excess water. Spread the rice on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool. (You could also just a bit of a preferred white wine to add some flavor to the rice.)
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place a baking sheet on the middle rack. 
4. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
5. Add the onion and green bell pepper and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. 
6. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. 
7. Add to the skillet along with the garlic and tomato paste. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste browns, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. 
8. Meanwhile, grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Coat the pan with the breadcrumbs, tapping to remove any excess. 
9. Put the eggs and all but 3 tablespoons of the pecorino cheese in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Put the cooled rice in a bowl; add the egg mixture and stir to combine. 
10. Transfer about two-thirds of the rice mixture to the prepared springform pan. Using moist fingers, pat the rice onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a 1/2-inch-thick layer. (I used a spoon here and it worked out perfectly fine.) 
11. Place the provolone slices over the rice in the pan. Spoon about three-quarters of the sausage filling over the provolone, filling it to 1/2 inch from the top. Then add another layer of provolone.
12. Pat the remaining rice mixture on top to enclose the filling, then sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons pecorino cheese on top. Put the pan on the hot baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool, 5 minutes. 
13. Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the timbale, then remove the side of the pan. Slide a spatula under the timbale and transfer it to a platter. 
14. Thin the remaining sausage filling with a splash of water and reheat. Serve with the timbale.

Overall, this recipe was a success. My husband thought the 1/2 inch thickness was a bit too thick and would have preferred it just a little thinner. My top layer was very thin, so that was a bonus there. I also let it bake for 30 minutes instead of just 20 to get the top just a little toastier. Next time, I would also add a bit more seasoning to the filling. I'm not sure I'd want an Italian seasoning, but something. I think a good addition would also be a few more vegetables. A sliced up zucchini layer would taste good, but for some reason our grocery store seems to be frequently out of them. Seasonsal issues I suppose.

This recipe requires quite a bit of multitasking, but is well worth the work. We enjoyed it and there was lots of leftovers for meals the following day or for lunches, as it would be easy to reheat with a little splash of water for the rice.

Goes great with my Balsamic Tomato and Mozzarella Bruschetta as an appetizer.