This is the dish that takes all afternoon. You make the sauce. You fry the meatballs. You build the bechamel. You layer everything in a baking dish and put it in the oven. None of this is fast. None of it is meant to be.
The hard-boiled egg is the detail people leave out. In Napoli, it is not optional. It adds a richness to the layers that no other ingredient quite replaces.
Make this on a Sunday. Serve it to eight people. There are no leftovers.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Finely dice the onion. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and saute the onion for 2 minutes. Add the passata, dilute with 3/4 cup water, season with salt, and add the basil torn by hand. Simmer covered for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Hard-boil 4 of the eggs: place in cold water, bring to a boil, cook 9 minutes from the boil, then cool completely in ice water. Peel and slice into rounds. Set aside.
Soak the breadcrumbs in water until saturated, then squeeze dry. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, sausage meat, squeezed breadcrumbs, and 2 beaten eggs. Add 3.5 oz of the grated Parmigiano, the chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Mix well with your hands.
Roll into approximately 40 small meatballs, about 3/4 oz each.
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning until golden on all sides, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Transfer to the tomato sauce when done.
Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Make the bechamel: heat the milk with a pinch of nutmeg and salt until just steaming. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes to form a pale roux. Pour in the hot milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens to a loose coating consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the penne for 11 minutes less 3 — it will finish in the oven. Drain, then toss the penne in the tomato-meatball sauce to coat.
Spread a layer of bechamel across the base of a 13 x 9 in baking dish.
Add half the dressed pasta and spread evenly.
Spoon over a layer of bechamel. Scatter half the scamorza cubes. Lay half the hard-boiled egg slices across the top.
Add the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining bechamel, scamorza, egg slices, and the remaining 3.5 oz Parmigiano.
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Switch the oven to grill (broil) at 465°F for 5-10 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
Rest for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve in squares.
You made Pasta al Forno. Time to eat.
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The pasta goes into the oven undercooked: three minutes under the package time. It finishes in the oven and absorbs the sauce from within. Cook it fully before baking and it will be overcooked by the time it comes out.
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