Lasagna recipe with eggplant meatballs
Preparing lasagna is an art I’ve honed over the years, and every time I cook it, it’s always a rewarding experience. The final result is a dish that surprises and delights, not only for its inviting appearance but also for its rich and enveloping taste. To further enrich the dish, I love preparing eggplant meatballs, which, after being fried, I finish cooking them in a succulent mixed meat ragù. This combination gives the lasagna a depth of flavor that is truly unique. To fill my lasagna, I always use creamy béchamel and a generous amount of cheese, like Grana Padano or Parmesan, which, when melted, elevate the dish to a higher level. I can choose from various types of pasta, fresh, dry, or vacuum-packed, but the homemade lasagna with eggs from my hens always have an unparalleled taste and texture, making each dish an unforgettable taste journey.
Sure, we think every day about the diet, about everything we have to give up for our health, but I believe that eating well, without having to give up everything is possible…Cont. below.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Oven, Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Autumn
Ingredients
Meat, eggplants, and egg pasta!
- 3.3 lbs mixed ground meat (Beef and pork)
- 3.3 lbs tomato sauce (Basically 2 glass bottles.)
- 1 cup sofrito mix
- 2.2 lbs béchamel
- 28.2 oz all-purpose flour
- 8 eggs (For pasta)
- 14 oz eggplant (Long eggplants, I used mine. But the oval purple ones are also fine.)
- 10.6 oz grated Grana Padano (Or Parmesan)
- 4 eggs (For the meatballs)
- 1 roll (Medium-large stale bread)
- 1 glass milk
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste salt
- to taste sunflower oil (for frying the meatballs)
- to taste olive oil
Tools
Bowl for the meatballs, pot for the ragù, frying pan for the meatballs
- 1 Pot
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pan
- 1 Lasagna Pan
Steps
Many steps to achieve a top result!
First of all, you should prepare the pasta sheet, of course, you can buy it ready-made; follow the instructions for the sheet and set aside.
Divide the meat into two parts, with one kg (2.2 lbs), prepare the ragù: in a little oil, brown the sofrito, add the meat, let it dry, add the tomato sauce, and start cooking.
Cut the eggplants into small pieces and blanch them in salted water, drain well and…
Add them to the bread soaked in milk and mashed; add the rest of the ingredients and mix everything well. Form small meatballs and…
Fry them in little oil, transfer to paper to remove excess grease and then…
A new transfer with the ragù to finish cooking.
In the meantime, prepare the béchamel and blanch the sheets in boiling salted water, then dip them in cold water.
At this point, assemble all the ingredients alternating the pasta, the seasoning, and the grated cheese
Bake in the oven at 392°F until completely gratin
Of course, you should not overdo it, this recipe is complete, so you can easily skip a second course or appetizer…And anyway, if after eating, the next day we take a nice walk, a little daily physical exercise we can afford to eat a small portion of this delight.
They can be stored in the fridge for three days, or in the freezer for three months without losing quality.
