Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna

Instructions

Warm the olive oil and peeled garlic in a thick-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, stirring until the garlic smells fragrant and starts to blister. Add the tomatoes, turn the heat to low, and simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about two thirds of its original volume, which takes around 1½ hours.

Turn off the heat, lift out the garlic cloves, and mash them with a fork. Stir the purée back into the sauce, add salt to taste, cover, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, tip the ricotta onto cheesecloth or a tea towel set in a strainer and let it drain for 30 minutes. Beat it with the eggs using a hand mixer until creamy, then cover it and keep it out so it is at room temperature when you assemble.

Thaw the frozen spinach, drain it, and press out as much liquid as you can. Set it aside.

Cook the lasagna sheets following the package directions, drain them, and hold them in cold water. Lay the sheets on a clean, wet tea towel and roll up the cloth until you are ready to build the lasagna.

Ladle a layer of sauce into a 9x13-inch pan and cover it with lasagna sheets. Scatter spinach thinly over the pasta, then spread on the ricotta mixture with a rubber spatula.

Add more sauce and repeat the layers until the pan is almost full, finishing with a layer of pasta. Top with sauce and the shredded mozzarella.

Set the pan on a tray and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until the center reaches 150°F. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting so the layers hold together.