Skillet Lasagna (Lasagna in Padella)

This dish, called lasagna in padella in Italian, takes a faster, less structured approach than traditional baked lasagna. We use regular lasagna noodles, not the no-boil variety, and cook them directly in a sauce of tomato and Italian sausage. There is a trick, though, to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick together as it cooks. We break each lasagna sheet into sections about 3 inches long and insert the pieces in the sauce, standing them up on a frilly side. After a few minutes, the noodles will soften enough that they can be stirred into the sauce and simmered with little risk of sticking. The dish is finished under the broiler after it’s topped with cheese, so be sure to use a broiler-safe 12-inch skillet.