Meatball Lasagna

Haven't had a chance to try this yet but it sounds great! Recipe doesn't call for it, but I'd like to see how it would be with just a bit of mozzarella cheese thrown on at the end.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 12  lasagna noodles
• 2  cups  shredded Fontina cheese
• 1⁄2 cup  grated parmesan cheese

• Meatballs

• 1 1⁄2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1  egg
• 1⁄4 cup  dry breadcrumbs
• 3⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

• Tomato Sauce

• 1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 2  onions, chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  carrot, finely diced
• 1  stalk celery, diced
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  Italian herb seasoning
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄3 cup tomato paste
• 2 (19 ounce) cans tomatoes

• Bechamel Sauce

• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2  cups milk
• 1  cup ricotta cheese
• 1⁄3 cup  grated parmesan cheese
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Meatballs:: In a bowl, whisk together egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup water, oregano, salt and pepper; mix in beef.
2. Shape by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Bake on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet in a 400°F (200°C) oven until no longer pink inside, about 12 minutes.
3. Tomato Sauce: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; fry onions, garlic, carrot, celery, herb seasoning, and salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste and tomatoes (presumably with the juice), breaking up with potato masher or some such thing, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
5. Add the meatballs; simmer until a spoon scraped across bottom of pan leaves a gap that fills in slowly, about 10 minutes.
6. Bechamel Sauce: Meanwhile, in separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute.
7. Add the milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Keep whisking and cooking until bubbly and thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in ricotta, Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
8. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles until almost tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and chill in cold water; arrange in single layer on a damp tea towel.
9. Without picking up any meatballs, spoon 1 cup of the tomato sauce into a 13- x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish. Top with one-third of the noodles; spread with one-third of the remaining sauce and meatballs, then half of the bechamel sauce. Starting with the noodles, repeat the layers once.
10. Top with remaining noodles; spread with the remaining meatball sauce. Sprinkle with Fontina and Parmesan cheeses.
11. Cover with foil; bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.