Classic Homemade Lasagna

Pour the 00 flour onto a clean surface and form a wide well in the center, then add whole eggs, yolks, and a pinch of salt. Whisk the eggs with a fork while gradually drawing in flour from the inner walls until a thick paste forms. Use a bench scraper to bring the dough together and knead by hand for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 1 hour.

Cut the rested dough into 4 equal portions, keeping remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap. Flatten one piece into a rough rectangle, dust lightly with flour, and pass through the widest setting of a pasta roller. Fold into thirds and roll again, then gradually reduce the roller thickness until the sheet is about 3mm thick (setting 6).

Use your 9x13-inch baking dish to measure the pasta sheets, carefully trimming each piece with a knife so you have enough for 4 complete layers. Stack the cut sheets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, placing parchment between each layer, and cover tightly with plastic wrap so they do not dry out.

Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot over medium to medium-high heat with a thin layer of olive oil. Strip the casings from both hot and sweet Italian sausages, spread the meat evenly across the bottom, and let it sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to develop a deep golden-brown crust. Flip and break into fine crumbly bits with a wooden spoon.

Reduce heat to medium, add finely chopped yellow onions directly over the sausage, and season with a pinch of salt to draw out moisture. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until onions soften, then stir in minced garlic, crushed fennel seeds, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant while scraping up browned bits from the bottom.

Squeeze in an entire tube of double-concentrated tomato paste and stir thoroughly into the sausage mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom, until the paste deepens in color from bright red to a rich dark crimson. Toasting the paste caramelizes natural sugars and removes raw acidity.

Add the canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushing them by hand or with a wooden spoon as they go into the pot. Swirl half a cup of water in the empty cans to capture remaining purée and pour into the sauce, then scrape the pot bottom completely clean. Add fresh basil leaves, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer uncovered for 1 hour until reduced by about 25%.

Place whole milk ricotta in a bowl and add freshly grated Parmesan, microplaned garlic, grated nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and taste for seasoning before adding raw eggs. Once seasoned to preference, crack in the beaten eggs and mix until completely smooth and emulsified.

Grate the block of whole milk mozzarella along its longest edge on a box grater. Shredding along the length creates long strands of cheese that melt together into an interconnected, stretchy blanket rather than clumping.

Spread a thin layer of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish, pushing it completely into the corners to prevent sticking. Lay down fresh pasta sheets with slight overlap, spread an even layer of ricotta filling using an offset spatula, and scatter mozzarella and Parmesan over top before spooning on more sauce. Repeat for 4 layers, gently pressing down each layer to ensure a level, sturdy structure.

After placing the final top sheet of pasta, spread the remaining meat sauce across the top in artistic streaks. Cover with a thick blanket of the remaining mozzarella (saving about half the total cheese for the top), letting pockets of red sauce peek through, and heavily dust grated Parmesan all around the outer edges to create a crispy golden crust.

Place the casserole dish onto a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling drips and transfer to an oven preheated to 400°F (204°C). Bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown, crispy around the perimeter, and bubbling vigorously. Remove and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature so the layers set cleanly before slicing.