Lasagna Roll-Ups With Asparagus And Pancetta

I love lasagna! I especially love finding new flavor combinations and ways to present it. As my blog grows, you will see several versions of this MOST DELICIOUS of dishes. Today, it's roll-ups! When I first thought of this combination, I had bacon in mind as the flavor backdrop. You can  never go wrong with bacon! But I decided to go with it's Italian cousin, Pancetta, instead. Pancetta has a lighter flavor than bacon, and is less likely to overtake the other flavors of your dish. I think it pairs very well with the asparagus and the mushroom.

I like to make a batch of these to serve along side my Italian Herb Chicken. Though they easily could be served as the main dish. No heavy ricotta mix in these! Just a simple saute of seasonal veggies, and a light dusting of cheese. Very simple to put together. And heavenly to eat! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 lasagna noodles, boiled to al dente and laid flat on a clean work surface

1 to 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

1 to 1 1/2  cups fontina cheese, grated

Pancetta (I use about 4 ounces) diced

1 lb fresh asparagus, chopped

1 8 oz package fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Combine the fontina and mozzarella cheese in a small bowl and set aside.

Add your chopped pancetta to a large skillet. Saute over med/high heat until somewhat crispy. Remove to separate dish, using a slotted spoon; reserving the pancetta drippings in the skillet. Next, add the garlic and saute just until fragrant; about 2 minutes. Then add in the mushrooms and asparagus. Saute for about 5 minutes, just until the veggies are crisp/tender. Add the pancetta back to skillet of veggies. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Now you are ready to assemble your roll-ups. As I noted above, have your cooked noodles laid out on a clean work surface. Sprinkle each noodle with a small amount of cheese. Then spoon your veggie mixture on top. (I like to reserve a small amount of the veggies to spoon on top of the roll-ups.) Carefully tuck and roll the noodles to form a roll-up.  Garnish with additional cheese and a spoonful of veggie mixture. Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes.

LESLIE'S NOTES: If you'd like to go the extra distance to kick these up a notch, here is my simple ricotta filling you can add; just spread it on the noodles before you add the veggies. 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 egg white, 1/2 cup grated parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients up in a small bowl and spread on cooked noodles. Then add veggies, and a small dusting of the fontina mix. Proceed with rest of recipe.