Skillet Lasagna (Original Post 10/7/08)

This is a nice alternative to regular lasagna. It is a quick way to have lasagna on a week night.

Ingredients:
1 ( 28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 TBS olive oil
Table salt
3 Medium cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press ( about 1 TBS)
1/8 tsp of red pepper flakes
1 pound of meatloaf mix
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
1 can ( 8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 additional tablespoons
Ground black Pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 TBS chopped fresh basil
Directions:
Pour diced tomatoes with their juices into 1- quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until oil shimmers. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, garlic and pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pick, about 4 minutes.
Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices 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.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons of ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.
I use regular ground beef instead of meatloaf mix. I forgo the ricotta cheese and put Italian blend shredded over the top. Before you add the Parmesan, it will be liquidy and that is how it is supposed to be, the Parmesan brings it together. I use dried basil and it is fine.... You can add onion to this, if you want to it is a medium onion, minced and cook it in the beginning before adding the garlic.