Sausage Lasagna

Why this recipe works

A big, bubbling lasagna is the pinnacle of comfort food. We wanted a version that could be made quickly, with minimal effort (and minimal dishes) and without sacrificing any flavor. We started building a flavorful sauce by sauteing onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes, then browned some sausage and added tomatoes, simmering just briefly to meld the flavors yet keep it fresh-tasting. After cooking the sauce, we emptied the skillet and layered the lasagna as we would in a casserole dish with the tomato-sausage sauce, a rich, eggy mixture, no-boil lasagna noodles, and plenty of parmesan and mozzarella. Once our lasagna was assembled, we topped it with extra cheese and transferred the skillet to the oven. After a short 30-minute stint, gooey and the bubbly, cheesy top and perfectly cooked pasta we were looking for, all made in a single pan. Do not use nonfat ricotta or fat-free mozzarella here.

Ingredients

3 (14.5-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound hot or sweet italian sausage, casings removed
12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
12 no-boil lasagna noodles, broken in half
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Steps

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Pulse tomatoes and their juice in food processor until coarsely ground, about 10 pulses.

Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in processed tomatoes, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes; transfer to bowl.

In separate bowl, combine ricotta, egg yolk, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan in third bowl.

Spread 3/4 cup sauce over bottom of now-empty skillet. Shingle 7 noodle halves around edge of skillet and place 1 noodle half in center. Dollop one-third of ricotta mixture over noodles, then top with one-quarter of mozzarella mixture and one-third of remaining sauce (in that order). Repeat layering process twice, beginning with noodles and ending with sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella mixture.

Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese is golden brown and lasagna is bubbling around edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Let lasagna cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with basil and serve.