Skillet Lasagna

Weeknight dinner is about to get a whole lot better with this skillet lasagna! Not only does this dish come together in less time than its more traditional oven baked version, but its every bit as delicious. With March under way and winter still going strong I have been working on preparing some of my favorite cold weather dishes to share with you, and just in time for more snow.

When I think of lasagna I think of  a rich meaty sauce, tender noodles and cheese. Lots and lots of gooey, creamy cheese. For this recipe, I used a lot of the elements from the time I made eggplant incaciata and transformed it into a skillet delight.

Ingredients: (yields: 4)

• 1 14.5 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup of water
• 6 leaves of fresh basil, torn into tiny pieces, plus more for garnishing 
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil                                   
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/3 pound of ground sirloin
• 1/3 pound of ground pork
• 2 tablespoons of red cooking wine
• 6 whole lasagna noodles, broken into thirds
• 6 tablespoons of whole milk ricotta cheese
• 7 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices

Directions:

In a large bowl add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil and water. With a spoon give the tomato mixture a quick stir to incorporate. Set aside for later.

In a 10″ skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. About 5 minutes. (I used a 10 inch enameled cast iron skillet)

Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook until fragrant about 1 minute. Add the meat, salt, and pepper stir often until browned and fully cooked.

Once the meat is fully cooked, carefully drain any fat. (use caution as the pan handles will be hot). Add the wine and cook for about 5 minutes stirring often.

Place the noodle pieces in an even layer over the meat. Pour the tomato mixture over the top of the noodles, making sure the noodles are well covered.

Cover the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer over medium low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender. About 20 minutes.

Carefully remove the skillet from the heat (use caution as the pan handles will be hot) and dollop 6 tablespoons of ricotta cheese over the top of the lasagna. Gently stir each dollop of ricotta cheese, until just incorporated. Place the mozzarella slices over the top of the lasagna. Return the cover, off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes and the cheese has melted. Top with some added fresh basil and enjoy!