Lasagna di Carnevale, Neopolitan lasagna

Lasagna di Carnevale is a Neapolitan lasagna traditionally eaten to celebrate Carnevale (carnival). This recipe is rich, indulgent and full of good flavour made with layers of pasta, ricotta, meatballs and eggs – suited to an Italian Sunday dinner or celebration.

There are a lot of differences when it comes to lasagna from the north of Italy and lasagna from the south.

Lasagna from the north is made with an irresistible beef ragu and creamy bechamel sauce it's also the lasagna that most Europeans are familiar with.

Lasagna from the south, specifically, Naples is made with a rustic meat ragu ricotta (no bechamel), meatballs and even hard-boiled eggs. This is the lasagna that most Americans are familiar with (in variations).

It's taken us a long time to make a southern Italian lasagna because we were so sure that a classic Lasagna Bolognese couldn't be beaten.

To say that we were blown away with this Neapolitan Lasagna is an understatement. It's good and to be honest it's hard for us to choose which one we prefer (so we won't).

This lasagna, in particular, is traditionally made to celebrate Carnevale (Mardi Gras), a festival of feasting and indulgence before the beginning of Lent. This dish ticks all the boxes and as rich as it is will leave you wanting seconds.

If you've made our classic Lasagne al Forno (which has over 100 5-star reviews) you're guaranteed to love this one too!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Ragu alla Napoletana – this is the good sauce used to make the lasagna (it's what gives it the wow factor). We eat the sausages and ribs in this sauce for a separate dinner and use the sauce and beef to make the lasagna.
• Homemade pasta – traditionally semolina pasta (without eggs) is used to make Lasagne di Carnevale but you will see egg pasta dough used a lot now too. We opted to go with our homemade egg pasta dough.
• Ricotta – you can use cow or sheep's milk ricotta make sure it's full-fat.
• Beef for meatballs – we use the beef brisket that has been cooked in the sauce to make meatballs (oh our goodness these are good) but you can use ground beef instead. We have tested it with ground beef and it's also good. Another option is to use half ground beef and veal.
• Mozzarella – we always use fresh mozzarella (dap it with kitchen paper to remove excess water). Some variations also add Caciocavallo cheese.
• Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino – use whatever one you prefer or have on hand.

Step by step photos and instructions

Prepare in advance

We highly recommend making the Ragu alla Napoletana 1 day in advance. This not only makes the whole process easier and more time efficient but the sauce tastes even better the next day. Save all the beef and sauce for this recipe and eat the sausage and ribs for another dinner.

You can also prep your hard-boiled eggs the day before.

Prep your homemade pasta dough first on the day you make the lasagna.

See our step-by-step photos below to give you a visual representation of the recipe. The full written recipe with our top tips can be found in the recipe card below.

1. Soak bread – Tear up the slice of bread and let it soak in a bowl with milk until soft.
2. Blitz beef – Meanwhile, blitz the beef brisket in a food processor. If using ground beef mince add it straight to a mixing bowl (photos 1 and 2).

1. Meatball mixture – Put blitzed beef in a mixing bowl with finely chopped parsley, grated Pecorino (or Parmigiano) and 1 egg. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and crumble the bread into the meat mixture. Add a pinch of salt then mix everything until well combined (photos 3 and 4).
2. Roll meatballs – Roll the meat mixture into tiny meatballs, we use about ½ teaspoon of mixture per meatball (you should get between 60-70 meatballs) (photos 5 and 6).

1. Fry meatballs – Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large pan. Once hot fry the meatballs until browned in batches, let them drain on kitchen paper (photos 7 and 8).
2. Ricotta mixture – Put the ricotta in a bowl with a spoonful of sauce (about ¼ cup/60ml), mix together until well combined (photos 9 and 10).

1. Lasagna sheets – roll out your pasta dough and cut your sheets to fit the size of your dish. Blanch them in batches in boiling salted water then lay them on a clean kitchen towel (photos 11 and 12).
2. Assemble the lasagna – Spread a small spoonful of tomato sauce on the bottom of your lasagna dish. Lay over 1 layer of blanched pasta (you can cut any overlaps). Spoon more tomato sauce over the pasta followed by a few dollops of ricotta. Spread it out to cover the pasta (photos 13 and 14).

1. Add filling – Sprinkle over around 15 meatballs and pieces of hard-boiled egg. Add some mozzarella then a grating of Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano (photo 15).
2. Repeat – Repeat the layers. You should have 5 layers of pasta in total with 4 layers of filling. Finish the top layer of pasta with sauce and grated Pecorino or Parmigiano (no mozzarella) (photo 16).
3. Bake – Bake uncovered 180C/350F for 40-45 mins. Let the lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

More Italian lasagna recipes to try

Pasta

Lasagne al Forno (Italian Beef Lasagna)

Pasta

Authentic Lasagna Bolognese (Lasagne alla Bolognese)

Pasta

Italian Lamb Lasagna with Pecorino Bechamel

Mains

Eggplant Lasagna with Prosciutto and Mozzarella

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings

Sauce

• 1 batch Ragu alla Napoletana ((make this 1 day in advance, see notes))

Meatballs

• 1 thick slice crusty bread (crusts removed) ((50g/2oz))
• ⅓ cup (80ml) milk
• 1 egg
• 8 oz (250g) beef brisket or ground beef ((see notes))
• 1/4 cup (30g) Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano (finely grated, plus extra for the layers)
• Small handful fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• Sunflower oil (or other flavourless oil, for frying)

Fresh pasta (or use 450g/1 lb fresh store-bought pasta sheets)

• 300 g 00 flour ((2 and 1/4 cups, spooned and levelled))
• 3 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk

Other ingredients

• 2 cups (500g/1.1 lb) Ricotta
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 8.8 oz (250g) fresh mozzarella ((2 balls))

Equipment

• Baking dish 9x13 inch
• Clean kitchen towel
• Kitchen paper

Method

Prepare the ragu (1 day in advance)

1. Follow the recipe to make our Ragu alla Napoletana. Keep all of the sauce and beef for this recipe. The sausages and ribs in the sauce can be eaten as they are not needed here. Making the ragu 1 day in advance is not only easier for timing but it tastes even better the next day.

Prep the pasta dough

1. Place the flour on a clean work surface and create a wide well in the middle. Add 3 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk to the well.

2. Using a fork whisk the eggs whilst slowly incorporating the flour until it's combined and looks like a very rough dough. You may need to use your hands once most of the egg is incorporated to help it along.

3. Bring the dough together with your hands to form a ball. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until it's smooth and pliable. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

4. Note: if you prep the pasta the day before place it in the fridge and bring it to room temp before using. You can find a visual guide to making homemade pasta here.

To make the meatballs

1. Tear up the slice of bread and let it soak in a bowl with milk until soft.

2. Meanwhile, blitz the beef brisket in a food processor. If using ground beef mince just add it straight to a mixing bowl.

3. Put blitzed beef in a mixing bowl with finely chopped parsley, grated Pecorino (or Parmigiano) and 1 egg. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and crumble the bread into the meat mixture. Add a pinch of salt then mix everything until well combined.

4. Roll the meat mixture into tiny meatballs, we use about ½ teaspoon of mixture per meatball (you should get between 60-70 meatballs).

5. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large pan. Once hot fry the meatballs until browned in batches, let them drain on kitchen paper.

Ricotta mixture

1. Put the ricotta in a bowl with a spoonful of sauce (about ¼ cup/60ml), mix together until well combined.

Roll out pasta dough

1. Cut the pasta dough into quarters. Work with one-quarter at a time and keep the rest wrapped up.

2. Set up your pasta machine and dust your work surface and machine lightly with flour.

3. Flatten your piece of dough and roll it through the widest setting. Fold one end of the pasta into the middle and the other end directly over it (like a leaflet) press it to flatten and pass it through the widest setting again. Repeat this process 1 more time.

4. Now pass the dough through each setting once (without folding) until you reach the second last setting (usually number 7).

Blanch the pasta

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Pre-heat your oven to 180C/350F.

2. Note: we find it easier for space to roll out the pasta and blanch it in batches as we're assembling the lasagna.

3. Cut the lasagna sheets to fit the size of your dish then blanch them in the boiling water for about 10-20 seconds. Gently remove the sheets with kitchen tongs and place on a clean kitchen towel.

4. Repeat the rolling out and blanching process with each quarter of dough (as we mentioned you might find it easier to assemble that blanched pasta as you go).

Assemble the lasagna

1. Spread a small spoonful of tomato sauce on the bottom of your lasagna dish. Lay over 1 layer of blanched pasta (you can cut any overlaps).

2. Spoon more tomato sauce over the pasta followed by a few dollops of ricotta. Spread it out to cover the pasta.

3. Sprinkle over around 15 meatballs and pieces of hard-boiled egg. Add some mozzarella then a grating of Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano.

4. Repeat the layers. You should have 5 layers of pasta in total with 4 layers of filling. Finish the very top layer of pasta with sauce and grated Pecorino or Parmigiano (no mozzarella).

5. Bake uncovered 180C/350F for 40-45 mins. Let the lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Kitchen notes

• Ragu alla Napoletana we eat the sausages and pork ribs the day before for 1 dinner with vegetable sides. Keep as much sauce as possible for the lasagna and keep the brisket for meatballs.
• Beef if you don't have beef brisket for the meatballs you can use ground beef mince or even a mix of beef and veal/pork.
• Meatball size the number of meatballs will vary depending on the size you roll them, we go with about ½ teaspoon of mixture per meatball which should make between 60-70 meatballs. Aim for around 15 meatballs per layer if you have more divide the meatballs by four for each layer.
• Boiled eggs we find 3 eggs to be the solid amount. There are four layers of filling so it's under 1 egg per layer (eyeball it). If you want 1 egg per layer prepare 1 more.
• Time saving tips make the ragu 1 day in advance. If you don't want to make homemade pasta you can use fresh store-bought lasagna sheets (still blanch them).
• Prep in advance you can assemble the whole lasagna 1 day in advance and bake it the next day.
• Leftovers the lasagna will keep well in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat it in the oven until piping hot (about 30-40 minutes).