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Christmas Eve Lasagna

DIRECTIONS

Since sauce scorches easily, use a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, stock pot, or Dutch oven, preferably with a nonstick surface. Place canned tomatoes and their liquid into the pan. Use a small paring knife to remove any tomato cores. Add tomato paste.
Use hands (or back of a large wooden spoon) to crush the tomatoes and combine with the tomato paste. Tomatoes should be in small pieces. The mixture should be soupy and lumpy.
Combine oregano, thyme, rosemary, and salt into a blender. Blend to a smooth powder.
Add powdered spices, garlic, and olive oil to tomatoes, stirring well. Place pot on stove over low heat. Bring liquid to a simmer and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir almost continually during cooking since sauce scorches easily. Use a spatula to scrape sauce from bottom to avoid sticking.
Add sugar 15 minutes before the end of cooking. Do not add sugar too soon, or sauce will stick. Overcooking will result in a bitter taste. For optimum flavor, make the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.
Allow sauce to cool. Meanwhile, stir together in a large bowl, the ricotta cheese, eggs, parsley, Romano cheese, salt, and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom of large, flat baking dish or roasting pan (at least 9 x 13-inches) with half the cooked noodles. Cover with half the cheese mixture, half the sliced mozzarella and a generous layer of sauce, thick enough to seal the edges. Repeat with remaining noodles, cheese mixture, and sliced mozzarella. Cover with a generous layer of sauce. Reserve and heat some sauce for passing at table.
Bake lasagna, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through. Cut into squares and serve. Serve with additional sauce and Parmesan cheese, passed at the table.