Pumpkin Lasagna

Instructions

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1. 1 For the Pumpkin Filling: In a large skillet, melt butter, shallot, and sage over medium heat. Once melted, continue to cook, swirling skillet occasionally until butter is browned and shallot is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly transfer mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Do not wipe out skillet.
2. 2 Whisk pumpkin purée, 1 egg, and salt into butter mixture; set aside while preparing rest of filling components.
3. 3 For the Swiss Chard: In now-empty skillet, add pancetta. Cook over medium heat until fat is rendered and pancetta is golden but still retains a slight chew, 8 to 12 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in chard until well combined. Cover pan and cook until chard is wilted, 2 to 5 minutes. Uncover, stir, and cook until mostly dry, about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
4. 4 For the Besciamella alla Fontina: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat (do not allow it to brown). Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Continue to cook, stirring, until raw flour scent is gone, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk in a thin, steady stream, or in increments of a couple of tablespoons at a time, whisking thoroughly and getting into all corners of the pan to maintain a homogeneous texture. Sauce will initially become very thick, then get very thin once all the milk is added.
5. 5 Heat, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until sauce is just thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes.
6. 6 Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in nutmeg. If any lumps form, simply whisk thoroughly to remove them and smooth out sauce, or use a hand blender or countertop blender if lumps are particularly large or tough. Stir in 6 ounces shredded fontina cheese until melted. Use béchamel sauce right away, or transfer to a container and press a piece of plastic wrap over surface of sauce to prevent a skin from forming and keep warm until ready to use.
7. 7 If Using Homemade Pasta: Follow our recipe for homemade fresh pasta through step 10 (you will end up with long sheets of fresh pasta), doubling the quantity to yield 2 pounds total (this will make more pasta than you will need, but it's best to have extra and avoid running out midway through assembly). Cut those sheets into roughly 8-inch-long rectangles.
8. 8 If Using Homemade or Store-Bought Fresh or Dried Lasagna Noodles: Prepare a large ice bath. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta, working in batches if necessary, until al dente (this will vary depending on the pasta you use, but for store-bought, it's typically about 1 minute less than package instructions). Then, use a spider or mesh strainer to transfer immediately to ice bath to cool.
9. 9 If Using No-Boil Pasta: Soak it in warm water for 30 minutes to partially hydrate it, then drain on paper towels or kitchen towels.
10. 10 Drain pasta well, then rub each sheet lightly on both sides with vegetable oil (to prevent sticking). You can hold the cooked pasta sheets for up to 3 hours, but if you're doing this, it's best to lay them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with layers of plastic wrap between the layers of pasta (once again, to prevent sticking).
11. 11 To Assemble and Bake Lasagna: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9- by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Spoon a thin, even layer of béchamel on bottom of baking dish, then lay down a layer of lasagna noodles; it's OK if they overlap somewhat, but you can cut any sheets that are too large to avoid excessive doubling up.
12. 12 Top pasta with a third of pumpkin mixture, using a large spoon or offset spatula, spread it into a thin layer (thin enough that you can see the pasta through the sauce in some spots). Top evenly with a third of cooked Swiss chard. Drizzle a third of remaining béchamel all over chard, spread it into an even layer, then top with a showering of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat this layering process 2 more times with pasta, pumpkin mixture, chard, béchamel, and grated Parmigiano. Sprinkle top with remaining 2 ounces shredded fontina and remaining grated Parmigiano.
13. 13 Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake lasagna until bubbling and browned on top, about 35 minutes. Let rest 20 minutes, then slice and serve.