The rich baked lasagna casserole is a recipe for special occasions, bringing a festive air to the table immediately. Delicious layers of fresh pasta, meat, béchamel, and melting cheese alternate to create a unique and irresistible dish. It is the perfect preparation for family Sundays and festive lunches when you want to conquer everyone with a scent that speaks of tradition and conviviality.
I made it when I had my nephews over who love pasta with ragù and they loved the surprise of the meatballs with this delightful sauce!
You can also prepare it in advance and then bake it for the final cooking to get that crispy and tasty crust that we all fight over at home!
Clearly, it’s not a quickie recipe, it takes time, but I assure you the result is very satisfying, so… prepare this pan of fresh pasta with meatballs with me!!
I have opened a recipe channel open to everyone and free on WhatsApp with no notifications and no sound, which you can join by clicking on the link here https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F and every day you can read a sweet and a savory recipe!
Still on the subject of oven dishes, here are some more ideas below:
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 250 g lasagna (fresh or dried)
- 350 g mixed ground meat (pork and beef)
- 1 egg (medium)
- 40 g grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
- 700 g tomato puree (Mutti datterini)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- as needed basil
- as needed salt
- 500 ml milk
- 40 g butter
- 40 g flour
- as needed nutmeg
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
- 250 g mozzarella (well drained)
- 50 g grated parmesan
Tools
- Springform Pans
- Casseroles
- Pans
Steps
Prepare the meatballs by placing the mixed ground meat, egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Mix everything well and form the meatballs placing them on a plate and continuing until the seasoned meat is finished.
Now fry them in seed oil, turning them and then draining the excess oil on kitchen paper.
Now prepare the sauce by placing the garlic clove with a little oil and once it has released its aroma, add the tomato puree.
Season with salt, add some basil leaves if you like to flavor, and let it cook for about 20/25 minutes.
Then add the meatballs to the sauce and let them flavor for a few minutes.
At this point, the béchamel sauce is missing to then assemble this rich casserole with meatballs in the oven!
In a saucepan, gently melt the butter then add the flour, stirring with a hand whisk and then slowly adding the milk.
Flavor everything with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and while stirring, let it thicken.
Okay, here we go! In an ovenproof dish, place a little tomato sauce at the bottom, then alternate layers of pasta, béchamel, meatballs, and diced mozzarella.
Also add some grated parmigiano reggiano and continue until you finish the ingredients.
All that’s left is to bake the dish and cook for about 30/35 minutes on static mode at 356°F (180°C).
After the time has passed, let the lasagna rest for about ten minutes and then serve this delicacy at the table!
Enjoy your meal and happy cooking! Annalisa
Remember that at the top where you see the blog menu there’s a magnifying glass 🔍 that will allow you by entering an ingredient or the title of a recipe, to find all the preparations that have that title or ingredient and I hope among these you will find recipes to your liking!
Practical Tip
The rich lasagna casserole with meatballs can be prepared in advance: just assemble it and keep it in the fridge, well covered, for up to 24 hours. When serving, you just need to bake it. Alternatively, you can also cook it, let it cool, and then reheat it: resting will make it even more compact and flavorful.
