Skillet Meaty Lasagna

I watched Chris Kimball make this on the Today Show last week. I had been trying to decide what to make for dinner that night and decided to try it. It was great!! My family loved it!! It was simple and easy clean up. I thought I had more lasagna noodles than I had, so I had to add some penne to it with the broken up lasagna noodles.

Skillet Meaty Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 3 (14.5-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• salt
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 Tablespoon)
• 1/8 t red pepper flakes
• 1 pound meatloaf mix (I just used ground beef)
• 10 curly-edged lasagna noodles (about 8 1/2 ounces), broken into 2-inch lengths
• 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
• ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 T chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until coarsely groun and no large pieces reamin, about 12 pulses.
2. Heat teh oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 t salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking apart the meat, until lightly browned and no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Scatter the pasta over the meat, then pour the processed tomatoes over the pasta. Cover , increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Off teh heat, stir in half of the mozzerella and half of the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dot heaping tablespoons of the ricotta over the noodles, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzerella and Parmesan. Cover and let stand off the heat until the cheese melts, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Tips:

Do not substitute no-boil lasagna noodles for the traditional, curly-edged lasagna noodles here. Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork and veal.