Serves 1
Directions
- 1Saute a quarter of finely chopped Spanish onion in a few tablespoons of olive oil for one to three minutes until soft and translucent.
- 2Add four cloves of lightly crushed garlic and three tablespoons of tomato paste, sauteing for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 3Add three quarters of a teaspoon of dried oregano and let it toast for a couple of seconds.
- 4Splash down one 28 ounce can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes and mash them with a potato masher or pastry cutter for a chunky marinara.
- 5Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat, and gently cook for 45 minutes to an hour, adding as little water as necessary.
- 6Add a whole sprig of fresh basil and let the sauce cook over low heat until mellow and sweet.
- 7For homemade pasta, pile 550 grams of all-purpose flour on a worktop, forming a wide active volcano shape.
- 8Deposit five large eggs (about 280 grams) and two teaspoons of kosher salt into the center of the flour volcano.
- 9Using a fork, beat the eggs into a slurry, slowly adding flour while trying to maintain the integrity of the flour walls.
- 10Once a thick fork-proof slurry forms, switch to hands or a bench scraper to coax the flour and eggs into a homogeneous dough.
- 11Knead the shaggy dough until no dry patches remain, then wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- 12Divide the dough into four pieces and, one piece at a time, pass it through a pasta roller on its widest setting.
- 13Fold the dough into thirds like a pamphlet and pass through the roller again once, twice, or three times to laminate.
- 14Roll the dough out to about an eighth of an inch thick or the second thinnest setting on your roller.
- 15Trim the rolled dough into lasagna sheet-sized sheets, dust generously with flour, stack, and keep soft under a moist kitchen towel.
- 16For the bechamel, bring one stick (8 tablespoons or 113 grams) of unsalted butter to a bare simmer.
- 17Add 63 grams (about a half cup) of all-purpose flour and whisk into a thin paste (a roux).
- 18Cook the roux over medium heat for one to two minutes until it starts to smell nutty.
- 19Gradually add four and a half cups of cold whole milk, one small splash at a time, ensuring each splash is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- 20Once all milk is added, bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook for three to five minutes until thick and glossy.
- 21Season the bechamel to taste with at least three quarters of a teaspoon of kosher salt, a half teaspoon of ground white pepper, and a quarter to a half teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg.
- 22If lumps are present, pass the bechamel through a fine mesh sieve before covering and allowing to cool for about 30 minutes.
- 23Cover the bechamel directly on the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
- 24Grate at least one pound of low moisture, full fat mozzarella (vacuum-packed block).
- 25If the tomato sauce is too chunky, blitz it with an immersion blender or in a food processor (do not over-process).
- 26To "sausagify" the sauce, crumble and brown one pound of Italian sausage until it has a little color.
- 27Add the browned sausage to the sauce, bring to a simmer, and allow the sausage to finish cooking.
- 28Season the sausage and sauce to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then allow to cool for 20 minutes.
- 29Spread a bit of sauce evenly on the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
- 30Cut pasta sheets to size to fit the pan with minimal overlapping.
- 31Layer the lasagna starting with pasta, then about a quarter of the sauce, a quarter of the grated mozzarella, and about one ounce of freshly grated Parmesan per layer.
- 32Add a generous channel of bechamel to each layer of lasagna.
- 33Continue layering until the casserole is full, going extra light on the sauce and extra heavy on the cheese on the top layer.
- 34Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil or a lid and bake in a preheated 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 to 45 minutes.
- 35Look for fully melted cheese and bubbling edges.
- 36Return the lasagna to the oven uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until nicely browned.
- 37Pop any big bubbles with a thin, sharp object like a cocktail pick to prevent unsightly caverns.
- 38Run a knife or offset spatula around the outside of the lasagna and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Ingredients
- 0.25 quarter finely chopped Spanish onion
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 lightly crushed garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 0.75 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 28 ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 whole fresh basil sprig
- 550 grams all-purpose flour
- 5 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons or 113 grams) unsalted butter
- 63 grams (about half cup) all-purpose flour
- 4.5 cups cold whole milk
- 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 0.25 to 0.5 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pound low moisture, full fat mozzarella
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ounce per layer grated Parmesan
Equipment
potpotato masherpastry cutterworktopforkbench scraperplastic wrappasta rolling machinekitchen towelwhiskfine mesh sieveimmersion blenderfood processorpanaluminum foillidcocktail pickknifeoffset spatula
Tips
- Use whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes for best flavor and texture control.
- Minimize water in the sauce to prevent a watery lasagna.
- If kneading dough is difficult, let it rest for 30 minutes wrapped in plastic wrap to relax gluten.
- Laminating pasta dough by folding and passing through a roller increases gluten strength.
- Cover bechamel directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
- Grate your own nutmeg and cheese for best results.
- Cook Italian sausage minimally to prevent it from becoming too springy.
- Spread a bit of sauce on the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
- Pop any large bubbles in the baked lasagna with a thin, sharp object to prevent unsightly caverns.
- Let the lasagna rest for at least 30 minutes after baking to allow it to set and prevent overly melty slices.
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