Skillet Lasagna
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS To get our lasagna fix without spending hours in the kitchen, we made the entire
dish, from start to finish, in a 12-inch skillet. After sautéing aromatics, we browned
our meat in the pan, then added the noodles and sauce. Meatloaf mix (a blend of ground
beef, pork, and veal) contributed deep, meaty flavor. Canned diced tomatoes and tomato
sauce, thinned with water, provided ample liquid to cook our noodles and thickened
to just the right consistency after a brief simmer. For a rich, creamy topping, we
dropped big dollops of ricotta cheese over the noodles and covered the pan so they’d
melt. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
SERVES 4 TO 6
A 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid works best for this recipe.
|
1 |
(28-ounce) can diced tomatoes |
|
Water |
|
|
1 |
tablespoon olive oil |
|
1 |
onion, chopped fine |
|
Salt and pepper |
|
|
3 |
garlic cloves, minced |
|
⅛ |
teaspoon red pepper flakes |
|
1 |
pound meatloaf mix |
|
10 |
curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths |
|
1 |
(8-ounce) can tomato sauce |
|
1 |
ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus 2 tablespoons, grated |
|
8 |
ounces (1 cup) whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese |
|
3 |
tablespoons chopped fresh basil |
1. Place tomatoes in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 4 cups.
2. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add meat and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
3. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour tomato mixture and tomato sauce over pasta, cover, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Off heat, stir in ½ cup Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dollop heaping tablespoons of ricotta over top, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.