This lasagna pasta recipe makes tender, fresh sheets for one 9-by-13-inch pan. You will mix 300 grams of flour with 3 large eggs, rest the dough, roll it to about 1 millimeter thick, and cut sheets that fit three to four layers.
The dough should feel firm and smooth rather than soft like bread dough. You can layer very fresh sheets directly into a saucy lasagna, or blanch them briefly first for more predictable cooking.
Lasagna Pasta Recipe: Ingredients, Dough Cues, and One-Pan Yield
- 300 g flour: Use Italian 00 flour, all-purpose flour, or a 50/50 blend of the two.
- 3 large eggs: About 150 g without shells, brought to room temperature.
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil: Optional, for a slightly more supple dough.
- Semolina or flour: For dusting the work surface and sheets.
This makes about 450 g of dough, enough for one 9-by-13-inch pan. Cut it into 12 to 15 sheets, each about 4 inches wide and 10 to 12 inches long. That gives you three generous layers or four thinner layers, depending on how closely you arrange the pieces.
The eggs provide roughly 50 percent hydration by weight: 150 g of egg for 300 g of flour. If your eggs weigh less, or the dough stays crumbly after mixing, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. Avoid adding a large splash, because an overly wet dough becomes sticky and difficult to roll.
Knead and Rest: Look for a Smooth, Firm Dough
- Mix the dough. Place the flour on a work surface or in a mixing bowl and make a well. Add the eggs, salt, and olive oil. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually pulling flour from the edges until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Press the dough forward with the heel of your hand, fold it back, turn it, and repeat. At first, it may look rough or feel dry. Keep kneading before adding water unless you see loose, unhydrated flour.
- Check the texture. Finished dough should feel smooth, dense, and elastic. It should not stick to your fingers, crack when you fold it, or feel wet. If it crumbles, wet your hands and knead again; if it sticks, knead in a light dusting of flour.
- Rest for 30 to 60 minutes. Wrap the dough tightly or cover it with an inverted bowl. Resting lets the flour absorb the egg and relaxes the gluten, so the dough rolls without snapping back. If it resists the roller, rest it another 15 minutes.
Lasagna Noodles Recipe: Roll to 1 mm, Cut, and Fit the Pan
Divide the rested dough into four equal pieces and keep three covered while you work. Flatten one piece into a rectangle. Set a pasta machine to its widest setting, pass the dough through once, fold it in thirds, and pass it through again. Repeat once if the edges look ragged.
Move through the machine settings one step at a time, dusting lightly only when the dough sticks. On many machines, a setting near the second-thinnest position produces the right result, but numbers vary. Aim for 1 mm thick: the sheet should feel supple and sturdy, with enough structure to hold a layer of filling without tearing.
Trim each sheet into pieces about 4 inches wide and 10 to 12 inches long. Let the sheets rest on a lightly floured or semolina-dusted surface for 5 to 10 minutes while you roll the remaining dough. Do not pile damp sheets directly on top of one another, or they may fuse. Dust lightly and separate them with parchment if needed.
For a 9-by-13-inch pan, arrange three or four sheets across each layer, allowing small overlaps. The pasta expands slightly as it cooks, so the pieces do not need to cover every corner perfectly.
Fresh Pasta Lasagna: Blanching Options and Sauce Moisture
For fresh pasta lasagna, you have two workable options:
- Layer the sheets raw: Use this method when your sauce is loose and plentiful. Spread sauce across the bottom of the pan, cover every pasta edge with sauce, and assemble as usual. The sheets cook as the lasagna bakes.
- Blanch the sheets: Boil salted water, cook each sheet for 20 to 30 seconds, then transfer it to cold water or a clean damp towel. Pat dry before layering. Blanching helps if your sauce is thick, your sheets are slightly wide, or you want to prevent firm edges.
Use about 5 to 6 cups of sauce for a 9-by-13-inch lasagna, including sauce between layers and on top. A thick meat sauce or vegetable sauce may need 1/2 cup of water or stock stirred in before you layer raw sheets. The sauce should spread easily but should not pool. Cover the pan for the first part of baking so steam hydrates the pasta, then uncover it to brown the cheese.