BelGioioso Lasagna with Ricotta & Meatballs
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, freshly minced
- 13 lbs fresh tomatoes, chopped
- Fresh basil
- Salt
Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground sirloin
- ½ lb. bread soaked in milk
- 2 eggs
- 4 oz. BelGioioso Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt
- Peanut oil
Lasagna
- 16 oz BelGioioso Ricotta con Latte® cheese (drained) – to drain, place ricotta into a colander or cloth and refrigerate overnight.
- Prepared tomato sauce
- 1 lb Barilla lasagna (precooked)
- Prepared Meatballs
- 4 oz. BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella cheese, cubed into small pieces
- 8 oz. BelGioioso American Grana® cheese, grated
Directions
Tomato Sauce
Prepare the tomato sauce the day before, or use your favorite pre-made tomato sauce.
Heat olive oil and minced garlic until it just starts to brown, add the tomatoes and basil, stir and simmer until tomatoes are broken down. Pass through a food mill and add salt if needed. Refrigerate until preparing lasagna.
Meatballs
Prepare the meatballs or use your favorite pre-made meatballs. If pre-made are too large, cut into quarters.
Combine the sirloin and bread together, then add the eggs and BelGioioso Parmesan and a little salt. Make meatballs one inch round. Fry in a deep fryer with peanut oil until brown and drain on paper towel. Set aside.
Lasagna
Prepare the lasagna.
Drain the BelGioioso Ricotta con Latte® first, then mix it with a little tomato sauce. The sauce should be a pink-red color.
Assemble the lasagna starting with a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer lasagna noodles, BelGioioso Ricotta con Latte, meatballs and BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella. Top with a little tomato sauce and grated BelGioioso American Grana®. Add another layer of sauce, noodles, ricotta and meatballs. Do not put fresh mozzarella on top, it will burn. Finish layer with tomato sauce and grated BelGioioso American Grana®.
Assemble the lasagna starting with a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer lasagna noodles, BelGioioso Ricotta con Latte, meatballs and BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella. Top with a little tomato sauce and grated BelGioioso American Grana®. Add another layer of sauce, noodles, ricotta and meatballs. Do not put fresh mozzarella on top, it will burn. Finish layer with tomato sauce and grated BelGioioso American Grana®.
Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.