Serves 4 to 6

Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal, sold pre-packaged in many supermarkets. If it's unavailable, use ground beef. Use a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart.

2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.

4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Lasagna--noodles, sauce, and cheese--can be made in one large skillet. The meat and flavorings are browned in the pan, to which the noodles--broken into short lengths--are added. Canned diced tomatoes, diluted with water, are then stirred in and the noodles cook as the sauce thickens and the flavors blend.
• Use meatloaf mix (a blend of ground beef, pork, and veal) for the deepest flavor.
• Top the lasagna with fat dollops of ricotta cheese just before serving; diners can then mix it all together on their plate.
• Sprinkle with chopped basil just before serving.