Grandma’s Lasagna

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil your mafaldine pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Spread a thin layer of the Homemade Tomato Sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (preferably a dark aluminum pan). Add about one-fifth of the pasta in a single layer along the length of the pan and then scatter dollops of the ricotta all over the pasta layer followed by a sprinkle of the mozzarella, 1 cup of the prosciutto, a sprinkle of the Pecorino Romano cheese and some black pepper. Top with a thin layer of sauce.
4. Lay about one-fourth of the remaining pasta crosswise in a single layer along the width of the pan, then top with dollops of ricotta, a sprinkle of mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheese, some black pepper and a thin layer of sauce.
5. Lay about one-third of the remaining pasta lengthwise again, then top with dollops of ricotta, a sprinkle of mozzarella, the remaining 1 cup prosciutto, a sprinkle of the Pecorino Romano cheese, some black pepper and a thin layer of sauce.
6. Alternate the direction of the pasta twice more to make two more lasagna layers with the remaining pasta, ricotta, mozzarella and Pecorino Romano, some black pepper and a thin layer of sauce.
7. Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake until hot and melty, 45 minutes to 1 hour. 
8. Remove the foil and cook 10 minutes more to slightly brown the top and cook off any excess moisture.
9. Serve the lasagna with the sausage, meatballs if using and remaining sauce.

Sunday Sauce:

1. Place a food mill over a large bowl. Use the food mill to puree the tomatoes and their juices to remove the seeds. Discard the seeds and just use the puree and pulp that remains. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over low heat. Add the garlic and cook until the cloves are a bit soft and lightly brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oil and reserve for another use. Alternatively, you can use a garlic press and add the garlic to the sauce, but my grandma just uses it for flavor.
3. Add the hot and sweet Italian sausages to the pot and cook until browned and seared on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the sausages to a plate.
4. Add the tomato paste to the pot and cook over low heat, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree and pulp and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. 
5. Add the sausages and meatballs if using. Cook over low heat with the lid half on the pot for 1 1/2 hours.
6. Add the whole, small bunch of basil and stir into the sauce to flavor it. Check the sauce for seasoning and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar to taste to balance out the acid. Cook with the lid half on the pot for 30 minutes more if desired.