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Carbonara Frittata with Ricotta and Mixed Lettuce Salad with Fennel

Carbonara Frittata with Ricotta and Mixed Lettuce Salad with Fennel

Ingredients

For The Frittata:

  • ½ pound spaghetti

  • Salt

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for pasta

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 12 large eggs

  • About 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

  • 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese, drained

  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  • ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

  • 1 generous handful flat parsley, finely chopped

  • 1/3 pound meaty pancetta, diced

  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped

For The Salad:

  • 1 head radicchio, quartered, cored and thinly sliced

  • 2 heads Gem Romaine, trimmed and coarsely chopped (or 1 heart romaine)

  • 1 endive, thinly sliced

  • 2-3 cups arugula or baby kale

  • 1 small bulb fennel, quartered, cored and thinly sliced, plus a handful of fronds, chopped

  • ¼ cup tarragon, coarsely chopped

  • 1 shallot or a quarter red onion, grated or minced

  • 1 clove garlic, grated or minced

  • 2 teaspoons honey or agave

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

  • ½ lemon, juiced

  • About 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon fennel pollen, optional

  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

For the frittata, cook spaghetti in 4 quarts salted boiling water for about 7 minutes, a minute or 2 shy of package directions. Drain and rinse, then toss with a little olive oil, about 1 tablespoon.

Heat a 12-inch ovenproof cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat and preheat the oven to 375˚F. Add 3 tablespoons EVOO and melt butter into oil. Whisk up eggs and black pepper, ricotta, grated cheeses and parsley. When butter foams, swirl around the pan. Add pancetta, render 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add pasta, toss and spread into an even layer, nesting it into the pan. Cover the pan with eggs and cheese and let it settle, then transfer to oven and bake until golden and just set, about 25-30 minutes. Cool and slide onto a cutting board to serve.

For the salad, in a bowl, combine the lettuces with fennel, fronds and tarragon. In a jar or plastic food storage container, combine the shallot or onion, garlic, honey or agave, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, EVOO, salt, pepper, oregano, fennel pollen and red pepper, and shake to combine. To serve, toss the dressing with salad and adjust salt and pepper to taste.