Classic Lasagna

This is the only lasagna recipe you will ever need. Recipe as follows:

Ingredients:

For the Red Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
½ lb hot Italian sausage (225 g)
½ lb sweet Italian sausage (225 g)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (150 g)
5 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (25 g)
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (4.5 oz/130 g) tube tomato paste
2 (28 oz/794 g) cans whole peeled tomatoes
½ bunch basil (20 g)
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Sugar, if needed

For the Pasta:
2 cups 00 flour (300 g)
2 large eggs
7 egg yolks

For the Ricotta Filling:
1 (32 oz/907 g) container whole milk ricotta
3 garlic cloves, minced (10 g)
2 eggs, beaten
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan (40 g)
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For Assembly:
1 lb whole milk mozzarella, shredded (453 g)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (40 g)

For the Red Sauce:
1. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the sausage without its casing and break it up into small pieces. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until golden brown.
2. Reduce heat to medium, then add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, fennel, and crushed red pepper. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add tomato paste, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes, scraping the bottom to prevent burning.
4. Once the paste has darkened in color, add tomatoes, crushing them into the pot. Add ½ cup (118 ml) of water to the tomato cans to get any remaining product out, then add to the pot. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper. Taste the sauce - if it’s too acidic, add sugar.
5. Bring to a simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Taste halfway through and season more if needed.
6. After the sauce is reduced by 25%, remove from heat and cover until ready to assemble.

For the Pasta:
1. Add the flour to a clean work space and create a well in the center. Add the eggs, egg yolks, and salt. Using a fork, whisk the eggs and salt together, pulling in flour from the edges. Once it’s too thick for a fork, switch to your hands and knead the dough.
2. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature to rest for 1 hour. After resting, the dough should spring back slowly when pressed and be darker in color.
3. Unwrap the dough and divide it into 4 equal portions. Work with one portion at a time, pressing it into a rough rectangle and covering the other portions with plastic wrap so they don't dry out.
4. Attach the pasta roller to a stand mixer and set to the widest setting. Pass the dough through the roller twice, leading with the shortest end.
5. Transfer the pasta to a clean work space, fold each short end of the dough into the center, completing a tri-fold. The folded dough should be about 5 inches (13 cm) wide.
6. Pass the dough through the roller again, using the 5-inch wide side. Repeat this process twice with the widest setting, passing the dough through a total of 3 times.
7. Gradually adjust the roller to thinner settings, passing the dough through each setting three times until it reaches 1/8 inch thickness, or the 6th setting.
8. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
9. Trim the ends of the pasta sheet to square it off. Cut the sheet into 7 ½ inch (19 cm) long pieces.
10. Lay the pasta sheets on the parchment-lined tray, topping with more parchment to prevent them from sticking. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and set aside until ready to assemble.

For the Ricotta Filling:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
2. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator 1 hour before assembling.

For Assembly:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
2. Add enough red sauce to cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish in an even, thin layer. Add 3 pasta sheets vertically.
3. Spoon ¼ of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, and spread it to the edges using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle ½ cup (50 g) of mozzarella on top of the ricotta, followed by 1 Tbs. of Parmesan. Spoon ¼ of the red sauce over this layer.
4. Add another layer of pasta, gently pressing the sheets to make an even surface.
5. Repeat the process with the remaining pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce. Once the pasta is used, top the dish with the remaining red sauce and ricotta. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top, leaving pockets of sauce visible. Finish with Parmesan sprinkled around the edges and middle.
6. Place the casserole dish on a sheet tray.
7. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

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