Ho-Hum Recipe

I saw a recipe on Rachel Ray's show that I thought was going to be GREAT! It was a Carbonara Deep Dish Pasta Crusted Pizza. It really looked good on the TV but when I made it, it was lacking a bold taste. Perhaps more garlic, more onions, fresh basil, grilled veggies or chicken would have made it taste better. What I made was good, but not great. Here is the recipe:


Carbonara Deep-Dish Pasta-Crusted Pan Pizza
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2007

Salt
2 packages fresh linguine, 9 ounces each
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, cut as thick as bacon, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
1/2 cup cream
one tomato chopped up (I added this)
2 cups ricotta cheese
A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 cup shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat water for pasta in large pot, salt it and add pasta for 3 minutes.
While water boils, heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes.
Drain pasta, add to pan and toss. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with salt and pepper. Beat eggs with cream and pour over top of pasta. Let eggs begin to set up, about 1 minute, and pat pasta into even layer to make the pizza pie crust. Spread the tomato's on top of the pizza. Place in oven and cook 5 to 6 minutes.

Mix together the ricotta and parsley. Remove pie from oven and smooth the ricotta over the top. Scatter with the provolone or mozzarella and return to oven. Bake 8 minutes more until cheese is melted and golden at edges. Cut into wedges and serve.