Butternut Squash Ravioli with Pine Nut and Fresh Sage Butter Sauce

This is the classic butternut squash dish, also often made with hubbard squash or fresh pumpkin.. You can also substitute canned pumpkin if you’d prefer, but we love the flavour and the texture of fresh butternut squash.

How to Make Fresh Pasta

Fresh pasta is made with 1 lb. 2 oz. of flour and 5 whole eggs. In many regions of Italy only 4 eggs and a little water are used; in others, 2 eggs and more water. In some regions only the egg yolks and a little oil are employed. Regardless of these regional variations, the dough must be well kneaded – that is, until little bubbles are visible in the dough – before being stretched with the rolling pin.

Ingredients

1 lb. 2 oz. flour
• 5 whole fresh eggs
• semolina for sprinkling on pasta (optional)

Pour the flour on a pastry board in a cone-shaped mound. Break the eggs into the center of the cone and blend the yolks with the whites, using a fork or fingers, then begin gradually mixing the egg with the flour.
When the dough has a thick texture, so that it is no longer possible to use a fork, the egg will no longer be liquid and about half of the flour will be incorporated. Continue to work with your hands, pushing the dough up from all sides, taking in as much flour as possible. Keep kneading the dough for about 15 minutes.

The dough must be thick and rather stiff, or it will be difficult to roll out. Wrap the dough with a dry cloth and keep it under a weight for half an hour. This allows the dough (particularly the gluten in the dough) to relax. It will be less elastic and much easier to roll out after a short rest.
When the dough is ready, cut into thirds or quarters. Work with one piece at a time but remember to keep the remaining pieces covered.
Roll out on lightly floured surface pasta dough, beginning from the center, to a thickness of 0.3 cm (1/8 in).


Butternut Squash Stuffing

5 tbsp (75 mL) unsalted butter
¼ tsp (1 mL) crushed red pepper flakes
1½ cups (375 mL) cooked and mashed butternut squash
½ tsp (2 mL) freshly grated nutmeg
Salt to taste
2 egg yolks
½ cup (125 mL) grated Parmigiano-Reggianno Cheese
½ cup (125 mL) fresh good quality bread crumbs

Method


1. Melt butter in a pot with red pepper flakes. Add butternut squash, season with salt and mix well. Purée mixture and let cool. Add egg yolks, Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated nutmeg and bread crumbs and stir to combine.
2. Divide your pasta dough into 4 parts. Roll the dough, one part at a time, into a rectangle about 12 X 10 inches Drop the butternut squash mixture by 2 level teaspoons onto half of the rectangle, about 3 inches apart in 1 row of 6 mounds. Moisten the edges of the dough and the dough between the rows of pumpkin mixture with water. Fold the other half of the dough up over the butternut squash mixture, pressing the dough down around the squash. Trim the edges with a pastry wheel or knife. Cut between the rows of filling to make raviolacci; press the edges together with a fork or cut with a pastry wheel, sealing the edges well. Repeat with the remaining dough and butternut squash filling. When finished, Raviolacci can be frozen on a tray and transferred to a covered plastic container.



Pine Nut Sage and Butter Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter
12 sage leaves, torn
2 tbsp (25 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp (25 mL) pine nuts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup (125 mL) grated Parmigiano - Reggianno
Additional sage leaves for garnish.

Method

1. In a hot pan, melt the unsalted butter. Add the sage and pine nuts. Heat the sauce until hot; reserve, keeping it warm while the pasta cooks.To make sauce, melt butter in a hot pan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and pine nuts and sauteer for 2 minutes or until butter is a light brown colour. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss pasta and sauce together, plate and garnish with sage leaves. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese just before serving.

2. Cook ravioli in 4 quarts of boiling salted water (2 tsp of salt) until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes; drain carefully. Transfer the ravioli to the pan with the warm butter, sage and pine nut sauce. Turn the ravioli over gently with a slotted spoon to coat both sides in the sauce. Carefully remove the ravioli from the pan and place it on the serving plate. Spoon over remaining sauce and serve immediately

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