Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna

Remove the honey and pasta sheets from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Add the pancetta to a small baking dish. Roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until cooked through and crispy. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven. Reserving the baking dish, transfer the roasted pancetta to a bowl.

Meanwhile, peel and small dice the shallot. Place in a large bowl; add the vinegar and honey (kneading the packet before opening). Season with salt and pepper; whisk to combine. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes.

Transfer the squash to the reserved baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 17 minutes. Leaving the oven on, remove from oven. Carefully add the spinach and 1 tablespoon of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) to the baking dish. Cover with foil. Return to the oven and roast 5 to 7 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and the spinach is wilted. Reserving the baking dish, transfer the roasted squash and spinach to a large bowl. Add the cream and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, mash until thoroughly combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Meanwhile, using your hands, separate the pasta sheets; add to the pot of boiling water and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until just shy of al dente (still firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Grate the fontina on the large side of a box grater. Spread about 1/3 of the pesto onto the bottom of the reserved baking dish. Top with half the parboiled pasta sheets (if necessary, trim the pasta sheets to fit snugly into the baking dish). Top the pasta sheets with half the vegetable mixture and half the grated fontina. Repeat with half the remaining pesto, the remaining pasta sheets, remaining vegetable mixture, and remaining grated fontina. Drizzle with the remaining pesto, then evenly top with the parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, or until lightly browned and the pasta sheets are cooked through. Remove from the oven; let stand at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, to the bowl of marinated shallot, whisk in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until combined; season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, add the arugula and roasted pancetta to the bowl of dressing; toss to combine. Serve the baked lasagna with the salad. Garnish the salad with the almonds. Enjoy!