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1
The day before, make the ragù: sweat the finely chopped onion in butter over a medium flame until softened and translucent. Add the ground beef and brown it, breaking up any lumps, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half so the raw alcohol does not carry through into the finished timbale. Add the tomato and cook uncovered over a low flame, stirring occasionally, until the ragù is very thick and no longer liquid — it must be dense enough to hold its shape on a spoon. Season with salt, cool, and refrigerate overnight so the fat binds back into the meat and the flavour deepens through the cold rest.
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2
Hard-boil the 3 eggs, cool under cold running water so the yolks stay bright and the shells release cleanly, then peel and quarter lengthways. Cook the peas gently in butter with a pinch of salt until just tender, then set both aside.
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3
Clean and dice the chicken livers, removing any sinew or green-tinged bile spots, since even a small patch of bile will spread bitterness through the entire filling. Melt the butter in a wide pan over a high flame with the sage leaves, add the chicken livers, and sauté briskly — they must colour on the outside without overcooking within, remaining just firm to a light press with a trace of give at the centre. Pour in the Marsala and allow it to evaporate fully, then season.
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4
Cook the rice risotto-style with butter: toast briefly so each grain is sealed against the heat and will hold its structure through the subsequent baking, then add ladlefuls of salted water or light stock, stirring until the rice is al dente with resistance at the core. Remove from the heat, stir in the Parmigiano, spread onto a tray, and cool completely before mixing the beaten eggs thoroughly through the rice, so the egg binds while the rice is cold rather than cooking the egg on contact — the mixture must be compact and cohesive, not wet or flowing.
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5
Butter a deep round mould generously on all interior surfaces and coat evenly with fine dried breadcrumbs, tipping out any excess so the layer is thin and even rather than patchy. This is where the dish lives or dies: press half the egg-bound rice firmly and evenly against the base and up the sides of the mould, forming a continuous shell of uniform thickness with no gaps or thin patches, since any breach in the rice wall will allow the filling to escape when the timbale is unmoulded. The shell is correct when it is compact and smooth on the inside surface, and holds its form when the mould is tilted.
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6
Fill the rice shell with alternating spoonfuls of ragù, chicken livers, peas, and quartered egg, distributing all elements evenly so that each future slice will carry each component. Do not overfill beyond the top of the rice wall, or the lid of rice will not seal cleanly.
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7
Cover the filling with the remaining rice and press firmly to compact and seal the top, ensuring the filling is fully enclosed so it steams and melds inside the timbale rather than drying at the edges. Cover the surface with a sheet of buttered foil and bake at 180 °C for 30 minutes. In the final 5 minutes, remove the foil and brush the exposed rice surface with clarified butter so the top colours quickly to a clean gold without the milk solids scorching.
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8
Remove from the oven and rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes before unmoulding, so the rice shell firms and the interior settles enough to hold its shape as a self-supporting drum. Run a thin knife around the inner edge of the mould, place a serving plate firmly over the top, and invert in one decisive movement — the timbale should release cleanly with a golden, lightly crispy exterior, and is ready to slice when it holds its form without slumping.