This Southern Italian Lasagne with Ham and Boiled Egg is one of those recipes that has stayed with me for decades.
This is not a quick, minimalist lasagne. It is the sort of dish you prepare when you want to feed a table of people properly.
I first learned this Southern Italian-style version in Melbourne in the late 1970s from the mother of a former girlfriend. Her family had Sicilian roots, and the recipe was quite different from the lasagne many Australians were familiar with at the time.
What makes this version unusual is the addition of sliced ham and hard-boiled eggs.
Layered between fresh pasta, rich Bolognese Sauce, cheese and creamy Béchamel Sauce, the ham adds a gentle savoury richness while the eggs make the lasagne feel particularly substantial and satisfying.
There is also a clever old kitchen technique for anyone preparing the lasagne ahead of time. As the cooked lasagne cools, a little water is spooned over the top so the pasta can gradually absorb the moisture. This helps prevent it from becoming dry when reheated later.
Serve the lasagne over a simple Napoli-style tomato sauce with a fresh side salad, crusty bread and a light red wine.
This is classic food for sharing, with a story behind every layer.
Serves: 8–10
Cooking Method: Oven baked
Cooking Time: 45 minutes, plus 10–15 minutes resting time
Skill Level: Easy to moderate
Best For: Family gatherings, entertaining, make-ahead meals, classic Italian comfort food
Kitchen Confidence - The Bolognese Sauce recipe and chefs tips
Kitchen Confidence -The Bolognese Sauce cook a long with Chef Ian can be found here in You Tube.
Cooks Collective - Béchamel Sauce Tutorial
Cooks Collective - Béchamel Sauce Recipe and story behind the sauce
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Pour approximately 100 ml of water into the bottom of a deep baking dish.
The water provides additional moisture as the fresh pasta cooks and helps prevent the base of the lasagne from becoming dry.
Place a layer of fresh lasagne sheets into the baking dish.
Spoon over a layer of Bolognese Sauce and sprinkle with some of the shredded cheese.
Add another layer of fresh lasagne sheets.
Spoon over another layer of Bolognese Sauce and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Cover with another layer of fresh lasagne sheets.
Arrange the sliced ham evenly over the pasta, followed by the sliced hard-boiled eggs.
Spread the ham and egg across the entire dish so each portion will contain some of both.
Add another layer of fresh lasagne sheets.
Spoon over the remaining Bolognese Sauce and sprinkle with some of the remaining shredded cheese.
Place one final layer of fresh lasagne sheets over the top.
Spread the Béchamel Sauce evenly over the pasta, making sure the entire surface is covered.
Sprinkle over the remaining shredded cheese.
Place the lasagne into the preheated oven.
Bake at 180°C for approximately 45 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the top is golden and bubbling.
Remove the lasagne from the oven and allow it to rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting.
This gives the pasta, sauce and cheese time to settle and helps the lasagne hold its shape when portioned.
Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan.
Add the diced onion and cook gently until softened.
Add the chopped garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Add a small amount of brown sugar to balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes.
Allow the sauce to simmer until slightly reduced and full of flavour.
Spoon some of the Napoli-style sauce onto each serving plate.
Place a warm portion of lasagne on top.
Serve with a fresh side salad, crusty bread and a light red wine.
Allowing the lasagne to rest for 10–15 minutes is important if you are serving it immediately.
Straight from the oven, the sauces and cheese will still be very fluid. Resting allows the layers to settle, making the lasagne easier to cut and helping each portion hold together on the plate.
If you are preparing the lasagne ahead for later service, lightly spoon or sprinkle a small amount of water over the top as it cools.
The pasta will gradually absorb the moisture.
Repeat this once or twice during the cooling process if required. This helps prevent the lasagne from drying out when it is reheated.
Add the water gradually. You want the pasta to absorb it rather than having a large amount pooling over the surface.
Spread the sliced ham and egg evenly across the dish. This ensures every portion receives some of the ingredients that make this lasagne distinctive.
This lasagne is an excellent make-ahead dish for entertaining or family gatherings.
Prepare and bake the lasagne as directed, then allow it to cool.
Lightly spoon a little water over the surface during cooling so the pasta can absorb the additional moisture.
Once completely cool, cover and refrigerate.
To reheat, cover the lasagne loosely with foil and place it into a moderate oven until heated through. Remove the foil towards the end if you would like to refresh the golden cheese topping.
Making the lasagne ahead also allows the layers to settle, making it easier to cut into neat, even portions.
A good lasagne is not simply a matter of placing ingredients into a baking dish.
Each layer needs to be distributed evenly so the finished dish has a consistent balance of pasta, sauce, filling and cheese.
The final Béchamel Sauce layer protects the top pasta sheets, adds richness and creates the golden finish we expect from a baked lasagne.
Resting is equally important.
As the lasagne rests, the pasta absorbs some of the sauce and the cheese begins to set. This transforms a loose, bubbling dish into clearly defined layers that can be cut and served neatly.
Understanding when to allow food to rest is a valuable kitchen skill, whether you are cooking lasagne, roasting meat or baking a pie.
This is a generous, rustic dish and should be presented that way.
Spoon the Napoli-style sauce onto the plate first, then sit the portion of lasagne on top.
The fresh tomato sauce provides colour and acidity, balancing the richness of the Bolognese, ham, egg, cheese and Béchamel Sauce.
Serve with a simple green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette and some crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
A light red wine is an excellent partner for this dish.
Choose a wine with bright fruit, gentle tannins and enough acidity to refresh the palate without overpowering the lasagne. A lighter-style Sangiovese, Barbera, Pinot Noir or young Nero d’Avola would work beautifully.
Place the lasagne in the centre of the table and let everyone help themselves. This is the kind of food that encourages people to slow down, open a bottle of wine and enjoy the meal together.
For a slightly lighter finish, use mozzarella with a small amount of Parmesan rather than a heavier mixed cheese blend.
You could add finely chopped parsley between the ham and egg layers for a little freshness and colour.
For a richer tomato sauce, allow the Napoli-style sauce to simmer slowly with a bay leaf or a small amount of dried oregano.
Individual portions can also be reheated in the Napoli-style sauce, allowing the base of the lasagne to absorb some of the tomato flavour.
Some recipes stay with us because of how they taste, while others stay with us because of the person who first showed us how to make them.
I learned this lasagne in Melbourne in the late 1970s, and the unusual combination of ham and boiled egg has remained memorable ever since.
It is a reminder that familiar dishes can change from one region, family and generation to another.
That is one of the wonderful things about cooking. A recipe is never just a list of ingredients. It carries the stories, traditions and people who brought it to our table.
This is a generous dish made for sharing with family or friends, preferably with a fresh salad, crusty bread and a good light red wine.
Chef Ian