Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Clear off every flat space in the kitchen as it will all be used.
2. Fill the biggest pot available full of water and bring to a boil.
3. Butter a deep, square baking dish. (this recipe uses a 2inch 8x8 dish!)

Making the Tomato Sauce

1. Place the olive oil, salt, pepper flakes and garlic in a pan.
2. Dial up the heat and saute for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and slowly bring to a simmer.
4. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon zest and taste for seasoning.
5. Add more salt if needed and set aside.

Preparing the Lasagna Noodles

Thinning out the pasta

This method yields about 72 rectangles of pasta sheets.

1. Thin out the pasta using a pasta machine, cut the big sheets into 2inch-ish wide ribbons. (usually 2 cuts along the sheets yields about 12 2foot strips)
2. Run the strips through a pasta machine to the 7th setting. (two shy of the very thinnest setting, the sheets should be almost translucent.
3. Cut the strips into roughly 4inch long manageable rectangles.

Pre-cooking the pasta

1. Fill a large bowl with ice cold water and a few glugs of olive oil. Place a large flour sack or cotton dish towel across a counter.
2. Generously salt the pot of boiling water.
3. Place a handful of pasta rectangles into the boiling water to cook. (up to 20 at a time, or as many as the pot can hold)
4. Fish out the pasta after 15-20 seconds. (don't let them overcook!)
5. Transfer immediately to the cold olive-oil water to cool off.
6. Remove from the cold water bath and place the rectangles flat and neat on the cotton towel. (it's okay to have them overlap)
7. Repeat until all the pasta is boiled.

Assembling the Lasagna and Baking

1. Ladle a bit of sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
2. Cover the bottom with a layer of pasta sheets.
3. Add another thin layer of sauce, and a bit of cheese.
4. Repeat until all the sauce and pasta has been used up, finish with a layer of pasta.
5. Top with the last of the sauce and cheese for a nice cheesy top.
6. Bake for ~35 minutes until everything is melted and fragrant.
7. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving, dust with parmesan and a bit of slivered basil (optional).