Step 1

Make the Meat Sauce: Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions, season generously with salt, and stir to coat with the olive oil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks so there are no large clumps. Cook until the sausage is fully cooked through. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and oregano, and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.

Step 2

Pour the tomatoes into the pot Stir in the water, wine, basil, and bay leaf. Season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer for about 30 min until the sauce is thick, tasting occasionally and adjusting seasonings as needed. If the sauce is too acidic, sprinkle with a pinch or two of sugar.

Step 3

This sauce is delicious served right away or you can store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Freeze for longer storage. You can use it to make the lasagna or serve it with pasta for a dinner your family will love.

Step 4

Prepare the Cheese Mixture: In a bowl, place the ricotta, eggs, and Parmesan. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and whisk together until smooth. If needed, whisk in the milk - you want the mixture spreadable but not too watery. Stir in the chopped basil. Set aside.

Step 5

Assemble and Bake the Lasagna: Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F. Set out a 9x13-inch baking pan, if possible one with 3-inch high sides.

Step 6

If you are working with traditional lasagna noodles, cook them in a large pot of well-salted water until softened but not limp. Transfer the noodles to a baking sheet and lay them flat while they cool. NOTE: Some brands do not need pre-boiling so be sure to check the package directions.

Step 7

Ladle about 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the baking pan, spreading it out to cover the surface. Place a layer of the lasagna noodles to cover the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, spreading so it covers most of the noodles. Add 2 cups of the sauce, spreading it over the cheese, and another layer of the noodles, this time in the opposite direction to the first layer to give the casserole more stability when cutting. (If you laid them lengthwise the first time, lay them perpendicular this time, alternating direction for each layer.) Add 2 cups of the sauce and top with half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan. Repeat the layers until all the noodles have been used or the pan is full. Reserve the last of the Parmesan and basil.

Step 8

Cover the pan with foil, tucking it tightly around the edges of the pan, and place on a baking sheet in case the sauce boils over. Bake an hour until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Pull out of the oven, remove the foil, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and return to the oven for another 15 minutes until the top is bubbling, the Parmesan is melted, and there are a few brown spots appearing.

Step 9

Remove from the oven and let it rest at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Sprinkle a little of the chopped basil on the top of each piece just before serving. If you prefer, let it cool, cover, and refrigerate up to overnight. Reheat before slicing and serving.