what is timbal

[joannie10]

what is timbal - as in aubergine timbal. I ask because I saw it on a menu.

thanks in advance

[Clanad]

It appears to be related to the shape of the dish being served, i.e., Timbale arroz is a serving of rice shaped like a kettledrum which is the English translation of the word. In the New Shorter Oxford Dictionary it's, "A drum-shaped dish made of finely-minced meat, fish, etc., cooked in a pastry crust or a mould". Another is, "the mould or crust in which this dish is served". The origin is given as French or Spanish and appears to have no English equivalent...

[whitbybabe]

Just had a quick peek on google and it seems that aubergine timbal is basically a timbal mould(like a small pudding basin shape-usually metal)lined with strips of aubergine and then filled with various ingredients.The one I looked at was filled with cooked pasta,softened onions,garlic,ricotta cheese a bit of olive oil and seasoning.The aubergine is then folded over the top of the filling,brushed with olive oil and baked.Sounds vile to me!