Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli
Photo by Ian McCausland
Pasta Dough
4 c all-purpose flour
6 eggs, room temperature
Filling
1 butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp shallots, minced
1 tbsp butter
¼ tsp sea salt
Pinch white pepper
3 tbsp heavy cream
3 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
Pinch nutmeg, grated
Topping
1/3 cup of browned butter
12 fresh sage leaves, julienned
Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
Traditionally, pasta dough is made by forming a pile with the flour and making a well in the centre for the eggs. Start by adding 4 beaten room-temperature eggs and mixing by hand or electric mixer. If the dough is too crumbly, add one more beaten egg. Knead the dough by hand on a well-floured surface or in an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment until it is smooth and elastic dough (4-6 minutes). You can’t really knead your dough too much. The more egg in your dough, the longer you will have to knead to make the dough workable. Dough too sticky? Add a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time. Dough too dry and not coming together? Add a little water, a tablespoon at a time. Once your dough is smooth and elastic, wrap it in plastic wrap or cover it loosely with plastic wrap in a very lightly oiled bowl. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes. The longer you let your dough rest, the easier it will be to work with
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel and de-seed the butternut squash. Cut into 1-inch cubes, toss with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes until fork tender. Purée in a food processor or blender. Sauté shallots in butter on medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add puréed squash and cook for 15 minutes, stirring to avoid browning. Stir in cream on medium-low heat and cook for 5–7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and fold in cheese and nutmeg. Let cool.
Roll out pasta. If using a pasta maker, roll out to the second thinnest setting. Cut strips of pasta to about about 5.5 cm wide, mark squares, then brush one side with egg wash. Place about ½ tsp of filling in the centre of each square segment. Lay another strip of dough over, using the edge of your hand to seal one side, then press all air out and seal the other 3 sides
Cut with a serrated rolling pasta cutter and pinch gently with floured fingers to seal. Lay ravioli out in a single layer on a cookie sheet dusted with flour. Cook in boiling well-salted water until the ravioli rises to the surface (3 minutes).
Melt butter in a pan on medium-low heat, swirling continuously until it turns light brown (just a minute or two). Either toss the ravioli in the brown butter or drizzle it over top. Sprinkle with julienned fresh sage, cracked black pepper, and grated cheese
Uncooked ravioli can be refrigerated overnight or frozen in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then stored in freezer bags.
PAIR WITH
Lelièvre nv Leucquois Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Alsace, France ($34.99)
Ormanni 2021 Chianti Classico, Italy ($36.99)
