Abruzzese-Style Lasagna With Meat Sauce and Mini Meatballs Recipe

Publish date: 2024-08-29

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This is a hearty meat-based lasagna done in the classic “southern” Italian tradition with a tomato-based sauce, and ricotta and oozy mozzarella in the filling.

The tiny veal meatballs are optional; there’s plenty of meat in the sauce already. But no respectable Abruzzese cook would leave them out.

To read the accompanying story, see: Real lasagna is a culinary marvel worth every minute of your time.

The meat sauce can be refrigerated up to 3 days in advance (or freeze for up to 6 months); reheat before using. You will have a tender mix of the chuck, pork shoulder and lamb shoulder left over, which can be used for sandwiches. The meatballs can be refrigerated in a tightly lidded container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The assembled, unbaked lasagna can be wrapped (in its baking dish) in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, and frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Remember to remove the plastic wrap and re-cover with foil before baking.

From cookbook author Domenica Marchetti.

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Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 8-10

For the meat sauce

For the meatballs (optional)

For the lasagna

Directions

Step 1

For the meat sauce: Pat the meats dry and season both sides of each piece with a little salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the meat and brown for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn and brown the other side, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a deep plate or bowl.

Step 2

Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the extra-virgin olive oil. Stir in the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and parsley. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Increase the heat to medium-high; pour in the wine and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Return the meat to the pot, along with the tomato puree. Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low or low, partially cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring and turning the meat over occasionally, until the meat is fall-apart tender and the sauce is thick. Add a little water if the sauce thickens too much before the meat is done. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper, as needed. Turn off the heat; use a skimmer to transfer the meat to a cutting board. Chop or shred a little of it — about 1 cup — and then return it to the pot. (Save the remaining meat to eat separately; it makes a good submarine sandwich filling.)

Step 3

If not using right away, transfer the sauce to a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat the sauce over medium-low heat before assembling the lasagna.

Step 4

For the optional meatballs: Line a tray with wax paper and place it near a mixing bowl. Combine the veal, salt, nutmeg and egg in the bowl; use your clean hands to thoroughly incorporate. Pinch off a small pieces of the mixture and roll them into marble-size balls (smaller, if you are patient), placing them on the tray as you work.

Step 5

Line a plate with paper towels. Pour enough vegetable oil to a depth of 1/4 inch in a skillet and set over medium-high heat. Have a plate lined with paper towels nearby for draining the fried meatballs. Once the oil shimmers, carefully add the meatballs, working in batches to avoid crowding. Fry, rolling them around in the pan to prevent burning or sticking, until lightly browned. Transfer them to the paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. If not using them right away, refrigerate the meatballs in a tightly lidded container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Step 6

For the lasagna: Spread a clean tablecloth on a table or clean flat surface near the stove. Have ready the uncooked pasta, meat sauce, meatballs, cheeses and basil.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch lasagna or baking dish (or 2 smaller baking dishes) with olive oil.

Step 8

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat and salt generously (as in, 3 or 4 pinches of salt). Set a large bowl of ice water near the stove for briefly immersing the parboiled lasagna noodles.

Step 9

Carefully drop in 4 or 5 lasagna noodles at a time, taking care not to crowd the pot. Boil for about 1 minute; the noodles cook quickly and should be slightly underdone. Use a large skimmer to transfer them to the ice-water bath. Swish them around, then use the skimmer to transfer them to the tablecloth, where you will spread them out flat.

Step 10

To assemble the lasagna, spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Dot with one-quarter of the ricotta and one-quarter of the mozzarella. Scatter one-quarter of the meatballs on top and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a big pinch of the shredded basil leaves.

Step 11

Make a second layer of sauce and noodles. Again, in separate layers, top with ricotta, mozzarella, meatballs, Parmigiano cheese and basil. Make a third and fourth layer in the same way, then cover with a thin layer of sauce. Make a final layer of noodles and spread more sauce on top, to cover them completely. Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake (middle rack) for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes more, until it is bubbling inside and browned on top. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.