Lasagna With Asparagus And Burrata
Lasagna With Asparagus And Burrata
Either flown in fresh from Puglia, or made locally by a domestic artisan near you, burrata is becoming more widely available all over the world. Here’s a chance to see the many ways burrata can be utilized in the kitchen, where it single-handedly takes on the role that a béchamel would normally play. It is a cheese that should be purchased and consumed as close as possible to the time it was made — giving this lasagna a delectable flavor. Click here to see how to make the perfect cheese board at home.
Servings
4
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 14 ounce medium-sized asparagus
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounce fresh burrata cheese
- 1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano, grated
- butter, for greasing the pan
- 3/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ounce fresh burrata cheese
- 4 ounce prosciutto di parma, sliced thinly (optional)
Directions
- Put the flour in a medium-sized bowl and create a well in the center. Add the eggs and egg yolks and beat them with a fork, incorporating a little flour from the sides of the mound at a time, until a sticky mass is formed.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough until smooth and pliable. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Trim the tips of the asparagus and set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Blanch the spears of asparagus for about 8-10 minutes, or until very tender. Remove from the water, shock in a bowl of ice water, and drain. Add the reserved asparagus tips to the boiling water and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until cooked but still firm. Shock the tips and drain; reserve the cooking water for cooking the pasta.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, purée the cooked asparagus spears (not the tips) until smooth. Add the burrata and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- When the dough is rested, roll out with a pasta machine to a thickness of 1/32-inch. Cut into sheets roughly 6-by-12 inches. Boil the pasta sheets in the same water the asparagus was cooked in for about 1 minute, or until al dente. Shock the pasta in ice water quickly and then remove and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Spoon ¼ cup of the asparagus-burrata filling into the bottom of a lightly buttered 8-by-12-inch baking dish. Place a sheet of cooked pasta over the filling and then cover with another ¼ cup of the filling. Scatter a few of the cooked asparagus tips over the filling and then sprinkle with a bit of the Parmigiano and a drizzle of the olive oil. Place another cooked sheet of pasta on top and continue layering, ending with the last of the sauce. Tear the burrata into golf ball-size pieces and scatter over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano and the last of the olive oil.
- Place on the top rack of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbling with golden melted pools of burrata and crisp edges of pasta.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and place individual pieces on warm dinner plates. If using the prosciutto, gently drape a few slices around the edges of the lasagna and serve.