Ingredients:
- 1 pound Italian sausage (sweet, hot, or a mix)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 24 ounces quality marinara sauce
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces no-boil lasagna sheets, broken into large pieces
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg (optional, for binding)
- 8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
- Brown the Italian sausage in a large, oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the meat as it cooks until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat, if desired, leaving a small amount for flavor.
- Add the olive oil and chopped onion to the skillet and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the marinara sauce and water/broth. Stir well, scraping up any caramelized bits (fond) from the bottom of the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Carefully stir in the broken lasagna noodles, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the sauce. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and the sauce has thickened from the released starch.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the ricotta mixture: in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg (if using). Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Uncover the skillet. Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture evenly over the top of the pasta and sauce. Sprinkle the entire skillet generously with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil on high for 2-4 minutes, watching carefully, until the mozzarella is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.