Timbale of Vermicelli with Tomatoes (Neapolitan Style)

Name: Timbale of Vermicelli with Tomatoes (Neapolitan Style)
Ingredients: 5 medium Fresh tomatoes (About 1.5 pounds total); 8 ounces Vermicelli pasta (Thin spaghetti can be substituted); 3 tablespoons Lard (Or use butter or olive oil); 1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste); 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper (Or to taste)

A simple baked pasta dish with layers of fresh tomatoes and vermicelli, seasoned with salt and pepper. A Neapolitan classic.

Ingredients

5 medium Fresh tomatoes (About 1.5 pounds total)
8 ounces Vermicelli pasta (Thin spaghetti can be substituted)
3 tablespoons Lard (Or use butter or olive oil)
1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste)
0.5 teaspoon Black pepper (Or to taste)

Instructions

1Wash and cut the tomatoes in half crosswise.
2Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a baking dish (approximately 9x13 inches), arrange a layer of tomato halves with the cut side facing down. Add another layer with the cut side facing up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Break the vermicelli into lengths that fit the baking dish and create a layer on top of the tomatoes. Repeat the layers: tomatoes (skin side down), tomatoes (cut side up), salt, pepper, and vermicelli. The top layer should be tomatoes with the cut side touching the vermicelli.
3Heat the lard (or butter/oil) in a small pan until melted and hot. Pour the hot lard evenly over the tomatoes and vermicelli. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the vermicelli is cooked through and tender.
4Let the timbale cool slightly before inverting it onto a platter to serve.