Once you have a cache of meatballs in the freezer, there’s no end to how you can use them. This easy lasagna is one option, and it’s made with par-boiled lasagna noodles so it’s not necessary to cook the pasta first.
1 recipe Basic Italian-American Meatballs
11/2 cups water
1 (1-pound) box precooked lasagna noodles
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta
1/2 pound grated mozzarella
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan.
2. Remove meatballs from sauce, cut in half, and set aside. Add water to sauce, and stir well. Spread 1 cup sauce in bottom of prepared pan. Arrange 1/3 noodles, slightly overlapping if necessary, atop sauce. Spread 1/2 of ricotta over noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 of mozzarella cheese, 1/2 of meatballs, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Top with 1 cup sauce. Repeat layering with noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, meatballs, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Arrange remaining noodles over. Spoon remaining sauce over, covering completely. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, and place the pan on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until noodles are tender and dish is bubbly. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F, remove and discard the foil, and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until top is browned. Allow lasagna to rest for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.
Note: The dish can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat in 350° F oven, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes.