There is nothing like homemade pasta filled with delicious filling. Whether it is meat, cheese, or this yummy butternut squash filling, the result is a delicious meal made with love. I paired this ravioli with a brown-butter sage sauce and it was delicious! No measurements for this one, you will need to taste as you go.
Pasta dough ingredients:
Tipo 00 flour
one egg per 100 grams of flour used
Butternut squash ingredients:
Butternut squash
Extra-virgin olive oil
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg, pinch
Fresh sage, chopped (1-2 leaves)
Heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2
Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
Butter cream sauce ingredients:
3 TBS Butter
1/4 cup shallots, sliced thinly
1 sprig tarragon, stems removed
2-3 sprigs thyme, stems removed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup parmigiana cheese, grated
Directions:
First make your homemade pasta dough:
Make a mound of flour on your (clean) counter top. In the middle of the flour mound, with your hands, make a little well. Crack the egg inside the well. Using a fork or your hands, lightly beat the eggs and gradually mixing the eggs with the flour from the inside lining of the well.
Gradually work in more flour from the inside of the well until the dough becomes too thick. At this stage, begin to use your fingertips and then your hands.
Once all the flour has been used, begin to knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. The dough will become smooth and elastic. If the dough is sticky, dust it lightly with the extra flour you’ve reserved. Continue to knead your dough until it is no longer sticky.
The test to ensure your dough is ready is if, when you poke a hole using your fingers, the hole bounces back at you.
If you have reached this stage, wrap your dough in plastic wrap and let it stand on your counter for at least 20 minutes.
Second make your butternut squash filling:
Peel and cube your butternut squash and place on a roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the squash and salt and pepper. Roast at 400 F until tender, timing depends on the size of cubes.
Place all of your butternut squash ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend. All ingredients must be adjusted to taste.
Third continue making your pasta:
Start a large pot of boiling water and add salt.
We are lucky to have a KitchenAid with a pasta machine on it. If you have one of these or a hand crank pasta machine, the following directions apply to you. If you do not, you will need to roll out your pasta dough by hand.
Remove your dough from the plastic wrap and cut your dough into 8 pieces. Cover with a damp cloth to ensure they do not dry-out.
Make the first piece flat using your hand or a roller. If it is sticky, dust with flour.
Feed your first piece through the pasta machine at the widest setting. Once it has been passed through, adjust the setting to make the width thinner at the next level. Continue this process until you have reached the desired width of your pasta (usually at the 2nd thinnest width)
Once you have finished your first sheet, set it aside and continue these steps for each piece of dough you have cut. You will probably need to dust them with flour. Once you have created all the sheets using all your available dough, place the filling on the sheets, 2 finger widths apart, so that you can fold over and cut the ravioli shape. Once you fold over, press gently to seal. Use a fork to gently press the edges to seal a bit more.
Lastly make the butter cream sauce:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the pan.
Once butter has melted add the sliced shallot and sauté for 1-2 minutes for the shallot to soften, being cautious to not burn. Add the tarragon and thyme leaves.
Once the shallot has softened, reduce the heat and stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked ravioli to the sauce and use a spoon to coat in the sauce.Serve it over your cooked ravioli. Sprinkle the completed dish with shredded parmigiana.
Godere!
