Recipe - Lasagna With Tiny Meatballs

Three fourths pound Lean ground beef
Three fourths pound Lean ground pork
2 small Eggs
2 Cloves garlic; pressed
2 tablespoon Fresh chopped parsley
1 One half cup Grated Parmesan cheese
2 One half teaspoon Salt
One fourth teaspoon Ground black pepper
2 tablespoon Fine grade olive oil
1 tablespoon Butter
3 One half cup Canned tomatoes
1 cn (3oz) tomato paste
1 teaspoon Dried basil
1 lg Bay leaf
1 pound Lasagna noodles
One half pound Cottage cheese or ricotta
cheese
1 teaspoon Dried oregano
1 pound Thinly cut or sliced up Mozzarella
cheese

Mix together beef, pork, eggs, 1 clove garlic, 1 generous tablespoon
parsley, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Form into 1 inch
meatballs. Cook in olive oil and butter until browned on all sides in large
dutch oven or stock pot. Remove meatballs; set aside.

In pan in which meat was cooked, mix tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 clove
pressed garlic, basil, bay leaf, remaining salt and pepper. Simmer tomato
mixture 30 minutes; return meatballs to the sauce. Remove bay leaf and
continue to simmer 30 minutes longer or until sauce is thickened and
meatballs are cooked.

Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles in boiling salted water according to
package directions. Drain, rinse and cool noodles. Blend together cheese,
oregano, remaining parsley and additional salt if desired. Grease a
13x91/2x2 inch baking pan.

To assemble, alternate layers of sauce, noodles, thinly cut or sliced up Mozzarella
cheese, meatballs, seasoned cottage cheese and a generous sprinkling of
Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used;
finishing with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated 375
degree oven 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 8 to 10 minutes before cutting.

Delicious with all green salad and crispy French rolls, hot garlic bread
or Italian bread.

Note: The beauty of this dish is it can be made entirely in advance and
frozen. A thin layer of cut or sliced up , lightly browned Italian sausage (hot or
sweet, your choice) can be added between the Mozzarella and meatball
layers.

From A Taste of Louisiana. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive,
http://www.erols.com/hosey.