Roger Smith's Lasagne with Meatballs

Roger Smith's Lasagne with Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, pressed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix meat, Parmesan cheese, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and seasonings together. Form into one-inch meatballs; brown quickly in olive oil and butter. Shake pan to brown meatballs on all sides. Remove meatballs, drain on absorbent paper. Pour off excess fat.

For the sauce:
2 cans (8-ounces) tomato sauce
Equal amounts of water
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in the oil-butter mixture in same pan until sauce is transparent. Add remaining ingredients; simmer 30 minutes (or until sauce is thick). Remove bay leaf, add meatballs, simmer 30 minutes longer (or until sauce has reduced in volume by one third and meatballs are cooked.)

For the remainder:
1/2 pound lasagne noodles
1/2 pound ricotta (or cottage) cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 pound thinly sliced Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Boiling salted water
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced (lightly browned in 1 teaspoon butter)

Cook lasagne in boiling salted water 8-10 minutes (or until half done). Drain carefully. Mix ricotta (or cottage) cheese with oregano, parsley and seasonings; set aside.

To assemble:

Line a well-buttered baking dish with a layer of lasagne; add a layer of Mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage and meatballs, seasoned cheese and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese ending with tomato sauce. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and pop into preheated 350 degree F. oven. Bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more. Serves 4-6.