Rookie Mistakes & Luscious Butternut Squash Ravioli

When I first started cooking, I had no clue what I was doing.  I often think back on all the bonehead mistakes I've made in the kitchen and just giggle.  What  a dork!  One of the recurring themes in my repertoire of goofiness is being overly ambitious in my menu choices for dinner parties.

One year I was given a ravioli press for Christmas. Like a true rookie, I promptly planned a dinner party for 15 people featuring ravioli.

I did not know what hard work it was to make ravioli from scratch – no food processor, no pasta machine - and could barely lift my arms by the end of the night. Fortunately, one of my friends who enjoyed the dinner took mercy on me and bought me a pasta machine for my birthday. Now I can make pasta anytime without all of the pain and tears.

If you don’t have a pasta machine or press, you can make ravioli the old fashioned way by rolling the dough out by hand and cutting the squares with a pizza cutter, sharp knife or biscuit cutter. If you are going to roll the dough by hand, I recommend having a sous chef (extra set of arms nearby) in case you get tuckered out.

This ravioli recipe was inspired by the abundance of Butternut Squash in my Farmhouse Delivery box. The squash is sweet so I recommend serving this as a small second course or a side dish to a nice savory meat dish.

Butternut Squash Ravioli
For the pasta dough:
2 1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. water
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt

For the ravioli:
2 butternut squash
1 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons minced shallots
Salt
pepper
about ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp grated nutmeg

For the sage butter sauce:
8 tbsps butter
6 fresh sage leaves

To make the pasta dough:
In a food processor, combine 1 cup flour and rest of ingredients with mixer on low speed. Mix about 2 minutes with spoon; slowly add in enough flour to make a soft dough (it should ball up in the food processor bowl).

Remove the dough and knead for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and not sticky, adding more flour is necessary. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Using a pasta machine or rolling pin, roll out the dough in sheets to the desired thickness.

If you haven’t used a pasta machine before, you roll the dough through several times, first on the thickest setting and then moving the dial to a thinner setting each time. I typically roll mine through to the third setting, you want the dough to be thick enough that it doesn’t fall apart when you try to stuff it. Flour the machine each time before you roll the dough through so that it doesn’t stick.

Place the sheets to the side on a floured surface until you are ready to use them.

To make the squash filling: 
Slice the Butternut Squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Place the squash face (cut-side) up in the pan and drizzle a little olive oil on top. Bake the squash in the oven for about 45 minutes to an hour until tender. Remove the squash from the oven and set it to the side to cool so that you can handle it.

Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the squash and cook until the mixture is dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in ¼ cup of parmesan, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the mixture aside to let it cool.

To assemble the ravioli: 
If you have a ravioli press, flour the press, then lay a sheet of pasta on top of the press.

Press the top of the press down lightly to make an indentation and then fill each square with filling.

Top the ravioli with another sheet of pasta and roll a rolling pin across the top. Turn the ravioli press over to remove the pasta and then repeat. Remember to flour the press each time so the pasta doesn’t stick.

If you don’t have a ravioli press, then lay a sheet of pasta down on a floured surface and place a spoonful of the filling about an inch from the edge and then repeat about every two inches. Place another sheet of pasta on top and then use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the ravioli into squares. If you are using a biscuit cutter, you will want to test the dimensions on one sheet and then space accordingly.

Add the pasta to a pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t overcook the pasta – it’s going to be done quickly!

Scoop the ravioli out of the pot into a colander to drain. Don’t dump the ravioli into the calendar like you do spaghetti or they will fall apart.

To make the sauce: 
In a sauté pan, melt 8 tablespoons of butter. Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown. Remove from the heat.

Plate a serving of the pasta on each dish and spoon a small amount of the butter sauce over the top. Sprinkle parmesan over the top and serve.