timpana

In Malta Timpana (the name probably derived from Timballo) is made by tossing parboiled macaroni in a tomato sauce containing a small amount of minced beef or corned beef, bound with a mix of raw egg and grated cheese.

We learn about timpana, baked macaroni in a pastry, and torta tal-haxix, a simple vegetable pie that must be mastered by every self-respecting Maltese bachelor, firstly to avoid starvation once away from his mother's apron strings, but in due course as a way of impressing his future bride.