I made this recipe today for a friend's birthday with delicata pumpkin instead of butternut squash. It was DELICIOUS! It's the perfect time of year for it, when the squash and pumpkin have started to turn up at the local super market. Although it's labor intensive to make your own pasta, it's well worth the time! Buon Appetito!
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter
Prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6
Filling
3 to 4 lbs. butternut squash OR delicata pumpkin (about 3
cups cooked)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-2/3 cups Italian breadcrumbs
1-2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Pasta dough
Pasta machine (optional)
Ravioli tray (optional)
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt for boiling water
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sage butter
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
18 fresh sage leaves
Garnish
1/2 cup Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squash or pumpkin in half
lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place the halves face-up on a cookie sheet,
drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Bake the squash for 30-45
minutes, or until a fork easily goes through the flesh.
Meanwhile, start the pasta dough by placing the flour in a
mound in the middle of a pastry board or work surface. Dig a well in the center
of the mound and break the eggs into it. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually
incorporating the flour into the eggs. You may not need all of the flour – it
depends on how much the eggs can absorb. As soon as you have a consistent
bundle, start kneading the dough using the palms of your hands. Using a pastry
or dough scraper, scrape the board and incorporate all the pellets of dough.
Continue kneading and folding the dough until you obtain a smooth, elastic ball
– at least 15 minutes or 10 minutes if using a hand-cranked pasta machine.
After kneading, let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
After the squash is done, let it cool for about 10 minutes
or until you can comfortably scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs,
Parmesan, eggs, nutmeg, and white and black pepper.
After the dough has rested, cut it into 4 wedges and roll
them one at a time through a pasta machine, or roll them out with a rolling pin
until they are thin sheets.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1/2 tablespoon of
kosher salt.
If using a ravioli tray, press a sheet of dough over the
ravioli tray and gently press the dough into the depressions. Alternatively,
cut the pasta into 1-1/2 to 2 inch squares, or cut out circles with a cookie
cutter.
Place about a tablespoon of filling in each depression. Dip
a finger in a glass of water and run it along the lines where the pasta sheets will
stick together. The water creates a tight seal and prevents the pasta from
breaking when boiled.
Using the ravioli tray, cover the squares with another sheet
of dough, pressing down along the edges to seal. Roll a rolling pin over the
tray, gently at first to let any air escape, then more firmly to seal the pasta
together and cut the raviolis along their edges.
To form the pasta without a ravioli tray, place a tablespoon
of filling in the middle of the square or circle, dip your finger in water and
run it along the edge of the pasta. Place another square or circle of pasta
over the filling and gently press the edges together, making sure to create a
tight seal. Repeat the process until all the dough is used.
To create the sage butter, melt the butter in a saucepan
over medium heat, add the sage leaves and let them cook until they begin to
crisp: about 30 seconds.
Gently add the raviolis to the boiling water and cook for
3-4 minutes. Place the ravioli in bowls, drizzle with the sage butter and
garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Eagle Creek Winery Chardonnay
Ryan Patrick Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay
Silvara Vineyards Chardonnay
