Make the red sauce:
- Using kitchen shears, cut the tomatoes in the can until finely chopped.
- Heat the olive oil in Saucy (or a large saucepan) over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring gently, until the paste darkens slightly, 1–2 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes and their juices, the sugar, oregano, bay leaf, and 2 cups water.
- Break up any large pieces of tomato with a spoon. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper and bring to a boil.
- Cover Saucy partially, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the sauce is thick and reduced to about 4 1/2 cups, 35–40 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.
The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Make the porchetta-spiced pork:
- In The Dutchess (or any Dutch oven), heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- Season the pork with the salt and black pepper and cook in batches, turning the pieces as needed, until they are browned and crusty all over, 8–10 minutes.
- Transfer the browned pork to a plate with a slotted spoon and brown the remaining meat, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. Transfer to the plate when done.
- Meanwhile, place the chopped garlic, fennel seeds, and chopped rosemary on a cutting board and continue to chop them together until uniformly fine.
- Add the mixture, along with the red pepper flakes, to the pot used to cook the pork, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, 2–3 minutes.
- Return the meat to the pot along with any accumulated juices.
- Add the broth and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until the pork is very tender, about 1 hour.
- Discard the bay leaves and transfer the pork to a bowl. Spoon off as much fat from the surface as possible and boil the remaining liquid over medium-low heat until reduced to a few tablespoons, 5–6 minutes.
- Return the pork to the pot and cook, stirring, over low heat until the liquid is nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes.
- Using a wooden spoon or two forks, coarsely shred the pork and transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Make the cheese mixture:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, and two thirds of the mozzarella (reserve the remaining cheese for the top) and season with the salt and black pepper.
- Add the egg and stir to combine.
Assemble the lasagna:
- Spread 1/2 cup of the red sauce in the bottom of the same Dutchess.
- Arrange the noodles in a single layer, overlapping slightly, in the dish.
- Top with 1/2 cup of the red sauce.
- Spoon half of the ricotta mixture on top, spreading to an even layer.
- Top with half of the shredded pork.
- Arrange more noodles on top, followed by another 1/2 cup red sauce, the remaining ricotta mixture, and the remaining pork.
- Arrange the remaining noodles on top, pressing to compact slightly, and spread with 1 1/2 cups red sauce.
Bake the lasagna:
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top and bake until the top is browned and crusty around the edges and bubbling, about 45 minutes.
- Let the lasagna rest for 20 minutes before cutting into squares.
- Garnish with parsley and serve the remaining red sauce on the side.
Reprinted with permission from Lasagna: A Baked Pasta Cookbook by Anna Hezel and the Editors of TASTE, copyright © 2019. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Photos by Noah Fecks