Tilapia Ricotta Strata

You could use any fish you like for this seafood lasagna dish - augmenting with shrimp or scallops would take this to yet another level.  This dish feels light in that no Bechamel white sauce is used - just chicken broth and the juices from the fish give plenty of liquid to cook the no-boil lasagna sheets.  But don't worry, there is plenty of creaminess from the ricotta and mozzarella - use the best you can.  Fresh mozzarella would be fantastic, I am sure.
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz package baby spinach

4 small tilapia fillets
5 no-boil lasagna sheets

24 oz ricotta
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, grated, divided in half
1 tsp herbes de Provence or Italian herbs

1/2 cup chicken broth
Dash red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 400F. Sauté the garlic in a bit of olive oil in a large skillet. After 2-3 minutes, add the spinach and cook down to wilt and remove most all of the water, about 5-8 minutes.

Stir together the ricotta, half the mozzarella and the herbs in a mixing bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly oil an 8x10-inch baking casserole.

The objective is to layer the ingredients at a steep angle, like shingles on a rooftop. Start on the right side, working left, by laying down a fifth of the ricotta on the right quarter of the dish. Lay one of the pasta sheets so it slopes from the top right to the bottom left. Scatter a quarter of the spinach on the pasta followed by one of the tilapia fillets. Repeat by layering another fifth of the ricotta on the tilapia, followed by a pasta sheet, spinach and another tilapia fillet.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients in the same fashion. Finish with a fifth pasta sheet, covering with remaining ricotta and spinach. All five angled layers should finally fill the length of the casserole.

Top the strata with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Pour the chicken broth evenly over the casserole and top with some crushed red pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Reduce heat to 375F and remove foil. Continue baking for another 15 minutes, until the top of the casserole has browned up nicely.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest at least 5 minutes. Cut into serving portions and serve.

Serves 4.