Nonna Gracie's Lasagne

Layers of pasta, ricotta, sausage, and rich tomato sauce come together in a dish that's pure comfort. When it comes out of the oven bubbling and golden, you know you're in for something special.

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 2 hours | Serves 6-8

Equipment

• 2 large pots
• Wooden spoon
• Medium pot
• Colander
• Kitchen towel
• Large mixing bowl
• Tongs
• 13 x 9 x 2-inch (23 x 33 x 5cm) baking dish

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cups crushed plum tomatoes
• 1 ½ tsp salt, divided
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• ¾ cup fresh basil
• 8 Italian sausages
• 1lb (450g) dry lasagna sheets
• 16 oz (450g) ricotta
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus, more for topping
• 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, and cook until softened and golden brown, about 2 minutes.
2. Pour in the crushed plum tomatoes, and season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the basil. Stir well and let the sauce simmer.
3. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Using a fork, poke small holes in the sausages and then add them to the pot. Boil for a few minutes to remove the excess fat and then transfer the sausages to the tomato sauce and cook for about 45 minutes.
4. When the sausages have cooked for about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F (190C).
5. Fill another large pot with salted water, bring to a boil over high heat. Add the lasagna sheets and cook until al dente. according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, lay the sheets on a clean kitchen towel, and set aside to dry.
6. Add the ricotta, eggs, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper to a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth.
7. Using tongs, remove the sausages from the tomato sauce and slice them into rounds 1/s-inch (8.5mm) thick.
8. To assemble the lasagna, spread a layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, followed by a sprinkle of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, several dollops of the ricotta mixture, the sausage slices, the shredded mozzarella, and more sauce. Repeat the layers until almost all the ingredients are used. Finish with a top layer of the remaining lasagna sheets, covered with the final bits of sauce and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
9. Bake for 1 hour, or until the lasagna is bubbling and golden brown.
10. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing into squares and serving hot. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180℃) for 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed through.