Roasted Winter Squash Ravioli With Sage Browned Butter Sauce
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Ingredients | |
 | 4 Cups (1L) chopped peeled winter squash |
| | ¼ cup (60ml) canola oil |
| | 4 whole cloves garlic (peeled) |
| | 1 onion, coarsely chopped |
| | 3 sprigs fresh thyme |
| ½ tsp (2ml) salt | |
| | 2 eggs |
| 2 cups (500ml) grated hard cheese | |
| | ½ tsp (2ml) freshly grated nutmeg |
| 1 batch of Perfect Pasta (see below) | |
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Freshly ground pepper |
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Egg Wash: | |
| | 1 egg |
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1 tbsp (15ml) milk |
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Sage Browned-Butter Sauce: | |
| | ½ cup (125ml) unsalted butter |
| | 1/4 cup (60ml) shredded fresh sage |
Place the squash chunks in a 9x13 inch (3.5L) shallow pan. Drizzle with all but one tbsp (15lm) of the oil. In a skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat: sauté the garlic and onion until beginning to brown. Add to the squash along with the thyme. Sprinkle with the salt.
Roast in a preheated 375 F (190C) oven, stirring several times, until tender and beginning to brown. 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
When cool, remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs, discarding the stems. Mash the roasted vegetables together. Stir or whisk in the eggs until thoroughly blended. Add the cheese and nutmeg. Use immediately or chill until needed, up to 2 days.
Egg Wash:
Lay a sheet of pasta on a floured surface. Brush half with the egg wash and place 1 tbsp (15ml) filling at 2 inch (5cm) intervals along the egg washed half. Fold the unwashed pasta over; with your fingertips, press the edges together. Press gently between each mound of filling using a pasta wheel, cut into square. This seals the ravioli. Reuse any trimmings.
Transfer the ravioli to a floured parchment- lined pan. Dust ravioli with a little additional flour: cover lightly. Continue the process until all the pasta is used. If there is any left over, roll it out and cut it into linguine or gather up into a ball: wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze until needed.
Sage Browned- Butter Sauce:
Melt and stir the butter in a large heavy skillet until it is just beginning to brown. Stir in the sage and cook until just wilted.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Remember the ratio of water to pasta is 7:1). When boiling, add about ½ tsp (2ml) salt per 4 cups (1L) water. Add the ravioli and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the top and are al dente (just barely tender).
With a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to the skillet, tossing in the sauce to coast evenly. To serve, arrange on a heated platter or individual serving plates (allow 5 to 6 ravioli per person). If desired, grind a bit of pepper to taste over top.
Perfect Pasta
7 eggs
2 tsp (10ml) salt
4 ½ cups (1.125L) durum semolina
All -purpose flour
Break eggs into a large bowl. Whisk vigorously to combine. Add salt. Pour in the semolina, a cupful at a time, whisking to combine until it becomes too stiff to mix. Work in the remaining semolina by hand. Turn out onto a well-floured surface; knead dough for 3 to 5 minutes, working it well to make a compact dough. Cover and wrap with a damp towel. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Divide the dough into 4 or 5 pieces. While you work with one of the pieces, keep the remaining pieces covered with the damp cloth.
Pat or roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about ½ inch (1cm) thickness, flouring it lightly on both sides. Dust the roller of the pasta machine with flour. Beginning with the highest number, pass the dough through the roller. If it tears, fold it over and do it again. Reduce the number and repeat until you reach number 1. Roll carefully and remove from the machine.
Yield: 50 - 60 ravioli
Recipe submitted by Kaitlin Byrick, Local Food Local Chef Coordinator
