Butternut Squash Ravioli w/ Brown Butter Sage Sauce

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Finally - the first recipe using my ingredient of the month... Butternut Squash!

 

I love this ingredient - it's so versatile and so good!  However, it can be a pain to work with.  The first time I tried to peel and cube a butternut squash - it took me for.ev.er.  But I think I've definitely gotten better with that technique. :) Here are two different peeling and cubing techniques:

Prepared Pantry and Simply Recipes

My technique is more like the second, but I used a knife instead of a vegetable peeler.  It seemed to work pretty well for me.

Okay - so the recipe. :)  Originally I was going to buy won-ton wrappers to use for the ravioli.  But J and I looked everywhere, and they were no where to be found. :(  So, what was I to do but make the pasta myself?  I would've done this in the first place, but I don't have a pasta roller.

Now - pasta without a pasta roller, not impossible - but it was a time-consuming process!  More on this below.

This ravioli was DELICIOUS!! J was a bit nervous about ravioli filled with squash - but he loved it as well!  Even though it's a time-consuming process, this is something I'd definitely make again.

Ingredients:
Filling:
Recipe from Emeril

1 T butter
3 T minced shallots
1 c roasted butternut squash puree (my squash yielded about 1 1/2 cups, so I upped all ingredients by 50%)
Salt
Pepper (the recipe calls for white, but I don't have it, so I just used my regular black pepper)
3 T heavy cream
3 T grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces for serving
Pinch nutmeg
Fresh parsley (for garnish at the end)

Directions:
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute.  Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2-3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, and then stir in the cream and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the 3 T cheese and nutmeg.  Allow to cool completely before filling ravioli.

Pasta:
Recipe from Alton Brown
3 c AP flour
2 eggs
3 T water
1 t olive oil
1/2 t salt

Directions:
If you click the Alton Brown link above, you'll see directions for doing this by hand, or using your food processor.  If you want to see the food processor directions, see the link above.

On a clean surface make a well with the flour.  In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients.

Slowly pour the wet mixture into the flour and mix with 2 fingers until the wet is incorporated.  Do not force all of the flour into the mixture. (I ended up needed a little more water to help this process.)

If using a pasta machine - shape the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

If hand rolling - knead the dough on a floured work surface for 8-10 minutes before wrapping and refrigerating.

Sauce:
Recipe from Emeril
8 T butter
12 fresh sage leaves

Directions:
In a large saute pan, melt the butter.  Mix in the sage leaves and continue to cook until butter has browned.  Make sure you don't burn it!!  Remove from heat.

Assembly:
For hand rolling ravioli, if you're really good I guess you can roll the dough into these nice pasta ribbons that are perfectly formed for making ravioli.  But I'm not really good.  So here's my technique. :)

I took about 1/4 of the dough at a time (keeping the rest on the counter wrapped in a damp paper towel to keep it moist).  I rolled out the dough as thin as I could possibly get it.  This takes a while - but you don't want thick dough for ravioli.

I then took one of my white wine glasses (it has about a 2 1/2" rim on it) and used the wine glass to cut perfect circles out of the dough.  I lined up the circles on the counter and filled half of them with the butternut squash mixture.  I then rimmed the circles with filling with a bit of water.  Then take the other half of the circles and place them on top of the filling, pressing firmly around the rim to make sure the ravioli are completely sealed.  Place completed ravioli to the side underneath damp paper towels.

Make sure to put any extra dough under damp paper towels to keep moist.  Repeat this process with the remaining dough and filling.  This made about 36 raviolis.  I did have extra dough, which I stuck in the freezer for later use.

I also froze some of the ravioli - to do this place them on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for about 20 minutes - 1 hour.  Place raviolis in a freezer bag and put back into freezer.  You can cook them from frozen when ready to eat.

To cook ravioli - bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Boil raviolis for about 2-3 minutes, until they begin to float.  Drain well.

Serve ravioli with the brown butter sauce, garnished with parsley and sprinkled with a bit of Parmesan cheese.