Skillet Lasagna

slightly adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄4 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
6 ounces curly-edged regular lasagna noodles, 8 noodles broken into 2-inch pieces (do not use no-boil noodles)
1 (26 ounce) jar pasta sauce (about 3 cups)
2 cups water
Big handful of spinach (like 4 cups or more)
1⁄2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (optional)
1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
ground black pepper, to taste
3⁄4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1⁄4 cup fresh basil, minced
grated parmesan and red pepper flake for sprinkling

Directions

Cook meat in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon until fat renders, 3-5 minutes. Drain.

In the skillet stir into the meat, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp salt and cook over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Sprinkle broken noodles into skillet, then pour in tomato sauce, spinach and water so that it covers the noodles (you may need to add extra water if noodles are especially dry).

Cover and cook, stirring often at a vigorous simmer until noodles are tender, about 20 minutes.

Turn off heat, stir in half of the mozzarella and half of the parmesan (optional - I don’t add this, but I do sprinkle it with parmesan before serving)

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Dot heaping tablespoons of ricotta over the noodles, then sprinkle the remaining cheeses.

Cover and let stand off heat until cheeses melts, 3-5 minutes.

Sprinkle with basil, parm and red pepper flake before serving.