This week, Smart Cooks and Talking to Smart People are coming together to share the kitchen wisdom (and an excellent recipe) from Meghan Splawn.

I was lucky to meet Meghan at an IACP conference many years ago. I was in a weird place professionally, I knew it was time to think about moving on from Milk Street to pursue my own projects, but not just co. was not yet a thing. Meghan, who was an editor at The Kitchn at the time, approached me after a small breakout discussion and said something about how she appreciated my positivity and perspective as a cook, and as a parent of young kids. That kindness carried me through, and gave me a confidence boost that was sorely needed. If you feel the urge to say something nice about someone, this is your reminder to speak up and do it!

But back to Meghan! She has been a part of many cool culinary projects, from working with Alton Brown for a decade, to co-hosting the incredibly helpful Didn’t I Just Feed You? podcast for parents, to now, focusing on freelancing, family, and her Substack Stir & Scribble where she continues to encourage us in the kitchen, share her thoughts on feelings and food, and put out excellent recipes. Lucky for us, she shared her recipe for the sheet pan lasagna that is her go-to for feeding a holiday crowd.

I hope you enjoy the conversation, and this gooey, delicious pasta dish in the very near future.

-Catherine

PS I would love it if you would consider subscribing to Talking to Smart People on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you enjoy and could take a minute to write a review, it helps more people find our little podcast for cooks and creatives. Thank you!

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RECIPE

Sheet Pan Lasagna

by Meghan Splawn

Sheet Pan Lasagna

Serves: 10

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 to 35 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 (16-ounce) box dried lasagna noodles (not no-boil)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound mild Italian sausage

1 teaspoon calabrian chili paste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 (about 16-ounce) jars marinara sauce

8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups), divided

8 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)

4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 packed cup)

Heat the oven to 400ºF. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Break the lasagna noodles into rough 2- to 3-inch pieces and move to a large bowl. Cover the noodles with warm water.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the Italian sausage, calabrian chiles, and kosher salt to the pot. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break the sausage up into bite sized pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Drain the noodles, reserving ½ cup of their soaking liquid. Add the noodles, reserved water and jars of marinara sauce to the pot and stir to combine. Remove the pot from the heat.

Spoon the pasta onto the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Be sure that all of the noodles are dressed with some sauce. Spoon the ricotta cheese in about 8 large dollops across the noodles. Sprinkle on shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered until the noodles are tender and the cheeses are melted and browned, 30 to 35 minutes.

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