Equipment
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 1600 g whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 45 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic, cloves, crushed
- 1 onion, small, finely diced
- 15 g fresh basil, leaves torn
Mini Meatballs (Polpettine)
- 250 g ground beef, lean
- 250 g ground pork
- 80 g bread crumbs, fine, dry
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg, large
- 10 g parsley, fresh, minced
- 100 ml vegetable oil
Assembly Layers
- 500 g lasagna sheets, no-boil or par-boiled
- 500 g ricotta cheese, drained
- 400 g mozzarella cheese, shredded or cubed
- 4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, sliced
- 80 g parmesan cheese, grated, for sprinkling
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions until translucent, then add crushed garlic for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes until slightly thickened.
Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, pork, bread crumbs, 50g parmesan, raw egg, minced parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix by hand until uniform.
Form mixture into very small balls, approximately the size of a hazelnut or small marble (1.5cm diameter). Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry meatballs in batches until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
Place eggs in a saucepan of cold water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Cool in ice water, peel, and slice into thin rounds.
Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
Assemble the layers: Place pasta sheets, then dollop with ricotta. Scatter a generous handful of fried meatballs, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and mozzarella. Top with sauce and a dusting of parmesan. Repeat layers until the pan is full (usually 3-4 layers).
Top the final layer of pasta with remaining sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan. Cover loosely with foil (tenting it so it doesn't stick to the cheese). Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown spots appear.
Remove from oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting. This is critical for the layers to set.
Chef's Notes
- The meatballs (polpettine) must be tiny—think marble-sized. This ensures they distribute evenly within the layers rather than creating large lumps.
- Do not skip the frying step for the meatballs. Frying creates a crust that prevents them from becoming mushy when baked in the sauce.
- If using 'no-boil' noodles, ensure they are completely covered by sauce, or they will remain tough. I prefer soaking no-boil noodles in hot tap water for 5 minutes before assembling.
- High-quality ricotta should be drained in a sieve for 30 minutes before using to prevent a watery lasagna.
- The hard-boiled eggs add a distinct creamy texture and richness that defines the Neapolitan style.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Tastes even better the next day as layers firm up.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze cooked or uncooked. Thaw in fridge for 24 hours before reheating/baking.
Reheating: Cover with foil and reheat in oven at 160°C/320°F until warmed through to prevent drying.
