Cannavacciuolo’s Neapolitan Lasagna

Name: Cannavacciuolo’s Neapolitan Lasagna
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h 50 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500 g of Puff Pastry; 100 g of Peas; 100 g of Ricotta Cheese; 100 g of Parmesan Cheese; 4 Eggs; 1 bunch of Basil; 500 g of Whole Tomatoes; 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 clove of Garlic; 1 bunch of Basil; Salt; Black Pepper; 100 g of Boneless Veal; 20 g of Parmesan Cheese; 1 Egg Yolks; All Purpose Flour; Extra Virgin Olive Oil; Salt; Black Pepper

Cannavacciuolo's Neapolitan Lasagna: fresh pasta sheets, creamy ricotta, fried meatballs and tomato sauce. A rich, refined classic.

Recipe Cannavacciuolo’s Neapolitan Lasagna

Difficulty Medium
Preparation 1 hour
Cooking 1 hour and50 minutes
Servings for 4 people

Cannavacciuolo’s Neapolitan lasagna recipe: a true celebration of abundance and togetherness, perfect to share at holiday gatherings or for a special Sunday lunch. Imagine generous layers of fresh egg pasta in a flavorful tomato sauce, enriched with creamy ricotta, peas, fried veal meatballs, hard-boiled eggs and a shower of grated Parmigiano: this is how to make chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo’s Neapolitan lasagna, which brings to the table all the aromas and flavors of a timeless tradition.

Every bite of this Neapolitan lasagna with meatballs is a journey through wonderful textures and aromas: the sauce clings to the pasta in a comforting embrace, while the ricotta gives incredible softness and the meatballs add their unmistakable flavor. With this combination of traditional Neapolitan lasagna ingredients, the result is a rich, satisfying first course, a true burst of flavor that will win you over from the very first bite.

Making baked Neapolitan lasagna is a true family ritual: it takes time and care to build that wonderful layering of pasta, sauce and fillings that melt in your mouth and make this creamy Neapolitan lasagna the undisputed star of every holiday lunch. The hard-boiled eggs and the little meatballs, together with the peas, are the details that elevate it, making it different and much richer than other regional versions such as the classic lasagna with meat ragù and ricotta.

If you love trying new versions of this iconic dish, let yourself be inspired by our Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Lasagna, the refined Autumn Lasagna or the delicate Salmon Lasagna. But for anyone seeking the most authentic tradition and a true holiday lasagna, this rich lasagna with meatballs and hard-boiled eggs by Cannavacciuolo remains the perfect choice to celebrate big occasions with flavor and passion.

Ingredients for 4 people

For the pasta:
500 g of Puff Pastry fresh egg pasta sheets, for lasagna
For the filling:
100 g of Peas
100 g of Ricotta Cheese well drained
100 g of Parmesan Cheese
4 Eggs hard-boiled
1 bunch of Basil
For the tomato sauce:
500 g of Whole Tomatoes
4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove of Garlic
1 bunch of Basil
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
For the meatballs:
100 g of Boneless Veal
20 g of Parmesan Cheese
1 Egg Yolks
All Purpose Flour to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to taste
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

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Method

To make Cannavacciuolo’s Neapolitan lasagna, start with the tomato sauce: place the peeled tomatoes in a container and blend them thoroughly with an immersion blender, then pass the purée through a sieve to remove the seeds and get a smooth, velvety sauce.
In a high-sided pan, sauté the garlic clove in the extra virgin olive oil until golden, then remove the garlic and pour in the sieved tomato sauce.
Let the sauce cook until thick and reduced, then season with salt and pepper, turn off the heat and let it cool.
Flavor the sauce with the torn basil, transfer it to a bowl and stir in the ricotta, well drained of its whey, mixing until smooth.
Make the meatballs by placing the ground veal in a bowl with the egg yolk and the grated Parmigiano, then season with salt and pepper and mix the ingredients well.
Use your hands to shape lots of small meatballs, dredge them in flour and fry them in plenty of hot extra virgin olive oil until golden all over.
Lift the meatballs out with a slotted spoon, drain them on paper towels and set them aside.
Boil the peas in salted boiling water, drain them and transfer them to a small bowl, then peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut them into small pieces.
Blanch the fresh pasta sheets for a few moments in salted boiling water, then drain them gently and lay them on a clean cotton towel to dry.
Spread a couple of tablespoons of the tomato and ricotta sauce over the bottom of a rectangular baking dish and lay a sheet of egg pasta on top.
Cover the pasta with more tomato and ricotta sauce, then scatter over the boiled peas, the fried meatballs, the pieces of hard-boiled egg and a sprinkling of grated Parmigiano.
Cover with a second sheet of egg pasta and keep alternating layers of pasta and filling until you have used up all the ingredients.
Spread plenty of tomato and ricotta sauce over the last sheet of pasta, sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmigiano and bake at 160 °C (320 °F) for about 50 minutes.
When the baking time is up, take the lasagna out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes at room temperature so it settles and is easier to cut.
Cut Cannavacciuolo’s Neapolitan lasagna into portions, place on individual plates and serve piping hot. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

In the traditional Neapolitan version, you can enrich the lasagna with slices of Neapolitan salami or dry sausage, spread between the layers along with the meatballs. If you prefer a stronger flavor, you can replace some of the ricotta with diced mild provola. For a heartier version, you can make a true Neapolitan ragù with pork (ribs and sausages) instead of the simple veal meatballs. Some people also add fior di latte mozzarella or smoked scamorza to make the lasagna even more melty. If you don’t have time to make fresh pasta, you can use dried lasagna sheets, but remember to precook them following the package directions.

Tips

For a perfect lasagna, it is essential that the tomato sauce is well reduced and thick, otherwise the lasagna will turn out too runny. Make sure the ricotta is well drained of its whey before stirring it into the sauce, so it doesn’t release too much water during baking. The meatballs should be small, about the size of a hazelnut, so they spread evenly between the layers. If you prefer, you can assemble the lasagna the day before and bake it shortly before serving. For a richer version, you can also add diced smoked provola or well-drained mozzarella between the layers.

Storage

You can store Cannavacciuolo’s Neapolitan lasagna in the fridge, well covered with plastic wrap, for 2-3 days at most. Before eating it, reheat it in the oven at 160 °C (320 °F) for about 15-20 minutes. You can also freeze it once baked, divided into single portions, for 1-2 months; in this case, thaw it in the fridge and reheat it as directed.