It’s fine if they overlap and stack a bit; just try to cover most of the bottom. This should look like a loose, jumbled layer of dry noodles.
In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella. You can add a pinch of salt and pepper if you like, but it’s optional.
Sprinkle half of the cooked and drained Italian sausage or ground beef evenly over the broken noodles.
Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over the meat and noodles in small spoonfuls, then gently spread it around a bit. It doesn’t need to be perfect—just try to distribute it so every scoop of lasagna gets some cheese.
Pour about half of the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the top, making sure you cover as many of the noodles as you
