Serves 8 to 10
Believe it or not, some claim that lasagna, one of the most beloved dishes in Italian cuisine, was created by the British, because the first cookbook believed to be published in Britain in the 14th century included a recipe similar to lasagna. I believe that the Romans brought the recipe to the British Isles during their conquests. Lasagna is thoroughly Italian.
We Italians know that lasagna was created in Naples during the Middle Ages. Italian immigrants brought their favorite variations to America beginning in the late 1800s.
Making lasagna is labor intensive, but it will feed a crowd. In most Italian-American families, including mine, lasagna is served on special occasions.
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes or 10 Roma tomatoes
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil or 4 whole basil leaves
½ teaspoon sea salt
1½ pounds lasagna pasta
1 (32-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into ¼-inch slices
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat the oil in large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and tomatoes with their juices. (If using fresh tomatoes, see the preparation instructions here.) Add the basil and salt. Simmer, stirring to break up the tomatoes, for 30 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta until almost al dente, 8 to 10 minutes, then drain.
Lightly coat the bottom of an 8 x 12-inch baking dish with some of the tomato sauce. Arrange a layer of lasagna pasta, end to end, to cover the bottom completely.
Cover the pasta with a layer of ricotta. Add a ladle full of sauce on top. Place 6 slices of mozzarella, evenly spaced, over the sauce. Then begin the process again: pasta, ricotta, sauce, mozzarella. Add a last layer of pasta and mozzarella, then one more ladle full of sauce.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.