Target: 6 × 4 inches · landscape

Garlic Lover’s Italian Pork Lasagna

135 min · 8 servings

Ingredients

□ 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

□ 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

□ 12 garlic cloves, finely grated, divided

□ 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes

□ 1 large bunch fresh basil, kept in whole sprigs with leaves and stems

□ 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided

□ 1 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided

□ 1 1/2 lb ground pork

□ 1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

□ 1 tsp dried oregano

□ 1/2 tsp red chile flakes

□ 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese

□ 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided

□ 1 large egg

□ 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

□ 12 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles

□ 1 lb low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Soften onion; add 7 garlic cloves. Simmer tomatoes with whole basil sprigs, salt, and pepper 20 minutes; discard basil.

2. Brown pork with fennel, oregano, chile, salt, and pepper. Mix ricotta with 5 garlic cloves, Parmesan, egg, and parsley.

3. Heat oven to 375 F. Layer sauce, noodles, ricotta, pork, and cheeses, then repeat twice in a 9-by-13-inch dish.

4. Bake tightly covered 35 minutes, then uncovered 15 minutes until bubbling and deeply golden.

5. Rest 20 minutes, then cut 8 portions. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days and reheat covered at 350 F.

Cook’s note: This pork-forward lasagna puts fresh garlic in both its basil-steeped sauce and ricotta filling.