Stuffed Stovetop Lasagna

Lasagna is one of the ultimate comfort foods, but the preparation and assembling are time-consuming.  Then baking the lasagna in a hot oven pumps up your kitchen's temperature, so we don't cook much lasagna in August. This recipe eliminates much of the fuss of regular lasagna, and it cooks in one skillet or Dutch oven on the stove top. I like both ground beef and Italian sausage in my lasagna, which is why I call it "stuffed". You can use a good bottled chunky marinara, if you like, but I like making my own which is very simple and tastes much better.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely chopped
• 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• 4 Italian sausages
• 1 pound ground beef
• 10 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 8 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese (pulsed in a food processor)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil
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• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: Serves 8

Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add half of the diced onion and chopped garlic cloves, and saute 3 or 4 minutes until softened. Add the chopped carrot and celery, and saute 2 minutes. Squeeze the tomatoes through your fingers, and add them to the saucepan with the juice they were packed in. Stir in the pinch of red pepper flakes, the oregano and season with 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt. Allow to simmer, uncovered, while you brown the meats.

1. Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the sausages. Brown them on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove them to a cutting board and allow to cool.
2. Add the remaining half of the onion and the ground beef, and sauté until the meat is just barely pink. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook another 5 minutes. Transfer the meat mixture to a bowl. Slice the cooled sausages into 1/4-inch discs. (They will still be pink inside.)
3. Take the skillet off the heat, and spread 1/2 cup of the marinara along the bottom. Lay two lasagna noodles on the marinara. Evenly spread half of the meat mixture on top. Dollop half of the ricotta (or pulsed cottage cheese) on top, and using a knife, spread evenly over the meat.
4. Pour 1/2 cup of the marinara over the ricotta, then lay 2 lasagna noodles on top. Press down, but not too hard. Layer the sausage discs on top of the lasagna noodles. Pour 1/2 cup of the marinara on top, then half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan. 
5. Lay 2 more lasagna noodles on top, pressing down to compact slightly. Evenly spread the remaining meat and mushroom mixture, then spread the remaining ricotta on top. Sprinkle the shredded basil over the ricotta.

1. Lay the last 2 lasagna noodles on top, pressing down. Pour the remaining marinara over the noodles, spreading evenly, then sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
2. Put the skillet on the stove and heat on medium-high. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
3. Preheat broiler. Uncover the skillet and put it under the broiler about 5 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Wait 5 minutes before serving.