Carbonara Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Unsalted butter (Plus more for buttering the baking dish)
• 12 oz Pancetta (Thick-sliced, cut into ¼-inch pieces)
• 1 cup Shallots (Medium, halved and thinly sliced; about 1 cup)
• 1 lb Ricotta cheese
• 4 oz Fontina cheese (Shredded; about 1 cup)
• 2 oz Parmesan cheese (Finely grated; about ½ cup)
• 1 tbsp Thyme leaves
• 1.5 cups Heavy cream
• 0.5 tsp Coarse kosher salt (For the cream sauce)
• 0.25 tsp Freshly ground black pepper (For the cream sauce)
• 1 lb Dried lasagna noodles (Cooked according to package instructions and cooled; alternatively use the optional fresh pasta sheets)
• 4 Eggs (Large; for baking into the lasagna)
• 3 Eggs (Large and at room temperature; for the optional fresh pasta sheets)
• 1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil (For the optional fresh pasta sheets)
• 2 cups All-purpose flour (For the optional fresh pasta sheets; plus more for dusting)
• 1 tsp Coarse kosher salt (For the optional fresh pasta sheets; plus more for the pasta-cooking water)

Steps

1. 1

   For the lasagna, place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 375°F. Lightly butter an 11-by-8-inch, 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish.

2. 2

   Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered and the pancetta is golden, 8–10 minutes.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots and pancetta to a large bowl. Let them cool slightly, then stir in the ricotta, shredded Fontina, and Parmesan.

4. 4

   Pour off the fat from the skillet and return it to medium-high heat. Add the thyme, then pour in the heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring the cream to a simmer, season with the kosher salt and black pepper, and remove the skillet from the heat.

5. 5

   If using fresh pasta, cut the noodles to fit the pan. Arrange a layer of two fresh sheets in the bottom, overlapping them slightly. If using dried noodles, use enough noodles in each layer to overlap slightly and cover the bottom of the pan.

6. 6

   Dollop one-quarter of the cheese mixture over the noodles and top with another layer of noodles. Repeat three more times with the remaining cheese mixture and noodles, ending with a layer of noodles; several noodles may remain. Pour the cream mixture over the lasagna, gently shake the pan to distribute it, and press the lasagna slightly with a spatula to compact it.

7. 7

   Bake the lasagna until golden, about 40 minutes. Crack the four topping eggs into individual bowls. Press a 2-inch round cookie cutter into the lasagna, going about halfway down, and carefully remove the top layers to create four wells.

8. 8

   Gently drop one egg into each well. Cover the dish with foil and continue baking until the egg whites are just set, 5–7 minutes longer. Let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.

9. 9

   To make the optional fresh pasta sheets, pulse the three room-temperature eggs, olive oil, flour, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a food processor in 1-second intervals until the dough is moistened and comes together in small beads resembling couscous. Do not let it form a ball.

10. 10

    Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead it without adding flour until smooth and elastic, 2–3 minutes. The dough will be almost too stiff to knead. Wrap it in plastic and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour, until it softens.

11. 11

    Arrange several clean kitchen towels on a work surface and dust them lightly with flour. Cut the dough into quarters and cover three pieces with a damp towel. Flatten one piece, dust it lightly with flour, and roll it through a pasta machine beginning at the lowest, widest setting.

12. 12

    Fold the rolled dough into thirds like a letter and run it through the machine again, feeding the open, less-wide end through first. Repeat three times. Then continue through progressively thinner settings, folding the dough and running it through the same setting twice before moving thinner; flour it as needed to prevent sticking. Continue to the second-to-last setting, usually number 6, or until it is about as thick as two playing cards. The sheet should be 4–5 inches wide and 22–24 inches long.

13. 13

    Cut the rolled sheet into three 8-inch sheets and place them on the floured kitchen towels. Repeat with the remaining three pieces of dough. Turn the sheets occasionally so they dry slightly; they should remain pliable but become somewhat leathery.

14. 14

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in two batches, cook the pasta until just tender and its color changes from deep yellow to pale yellow, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water.

15. 15

    Arrange the cooked lasagna sheets on clean kitchen towels, pressing them slightly to flatten. Use them immediately, or keep them covered at room temperature for up to 1 hour.

Notes

The recipe provides both dried lasagna noodles and an optional fresh-pasta-sheet recipe. Use one pasta option, not both. Serve immediately after the 15-minute rest; the source also suggests serving it with chilled Lambrusco or cold brew the next morning.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Italian
• baked
• lasagna
• pasta
• pancetta
• high-protein
• breakfast-inspired