Cheesy Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter
Serves 12 (Makes approximately 100 ravioli)
Time: 3 hours
For the pasta dough:
4 eggs
6 cups sifted organic all purpose flour
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
For the ravioli filling:
3 pounds butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 egg
8 ounces Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded and packed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded and packed
For the sauce:
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
8 leaves Sage chopped
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
Flakey sea salt (I use Malden)
Pasta Dough Directions:
There are several ways to make fresh pasta dough. The food processor method is the fastest, but you can also make it by hand.
Food processor method: add the flour, eggs and olive oil to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process to form dough, about 15-20 seconds. Remove from the processor and onto your work surface and cover with an upturned bowl for 5 minutes- it will be much easier to knead in the next step. Knead dough for 1-2 minutes to form a ball (don’t worry about technique here, the food processor does most of the kneading for you)
To make it by hand: put the flour in a bowl, make a well in the middle, and add the oil and eggs and wisk with a fork. Work enough water into the mixture to form a dough with your hands. Place onto a floured board or countertop and knead until smooth.
Cover, and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour to relax the gluten. Use this time to make the ravioli filling.
Ravioli Filling Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Peel the squash and cut into cubes and placing them on a baking sheet. Coat them with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast the squash at 400 degrees for 45 minutes until it is tender.
Allow to cool for 15 minutes or so.
Transfer squash to a food processor add the egg, gorgonzola cheese, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Puree until smooth.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Making the Ravioli
Find a large, clutter-free, and CLEAN space to spread out (I use the kitchen table). Your pasta sheets are going to be long! Dust your work surface and pasta machine with semolina flour to prevent sticking. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper to fit the inside dimensions, no clunky overhang. Cut 4 additional pieces or parchment to layer in between the pasta sheets as you roll them out; set aside.
Cut the pasta dough into 4 equal pieces. Flatten one piece into an 8×5-inch disc (re-wrap or cover the remaining pieces so they don’t dry out).
Send the disc through the roller on the widest/lowest setting. This is #1 on the Kitchenaid attachment. Send it through a second time. ****(If using a hand crank pasta machine instead, refer to their specific instructions for rolling the dough for ravioli. The settings are reversed, but the process is the same).
Continue to roll the dough through settings #2-5 (2x on each setting) until the pasta sheet is slightly translucent and you can see your hand underneath, about 1 mm thick.
When finished, lightly trim the rounded edges. Cut into 10-12-inch long sheets. Your sheets do not have to look perfect- you’ll trim more later on. Place onto your sheet pan and cover with parchment paper. Repeat to roll the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
Grab a pasta sheet. Dollop the butternut squash filling (in rounded teaspoons), down the center of the sheet, spaced 2 finger-widths apart.
Place a second sheet on top, like making a sandwich.
Smooth the pasta sheet with your fingertips, working around the filling to get the air bubbles out. I use my pinkies. Press to seal the edges and sides.
Cut the ravioli in half and then into strips. Trim into 2 1/2- 3-inch ravioli squares. You’ll end up with lots of pasta scraps. You call ball up the dough and pass it through the pasta machine again to make more pasta sheets for ravioli, or turn it into many different pasta shapes.
Transfer the ravioli to the remaining parchment-lined sheet pan dusted with semolina flour. Cover with towel or an inverted sheet pan. Repeat to assemble and cut the remaining ravioli.
Heat a large pot of water for the ravioli.
For the sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add sage leaves and nutmeg. Cook on medium-low for 2-3 minutes, just until the butter starts to brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Cook the ravioli in the boiling water for 2 minutes, until it is floating. Remove from water and add directly to butter sauce.
Serve with a sprinkle of flakey sea salt and freshly grated parmesan cheese
Notes
It is extremely important to keep your your dough covered as much as possible. If the raviolis begin to get dried out they will be a little hard even after they are boiled.
If you do not have a food processor, you can just combine the pasta dough ingredients together with a fork and your hands, and mash together all the ravioli filling ingredients until they are completely combined.
Make space. You’ll need a large, clutter-free work surface to roll out the pasta dough (the kitchen table is ideal). Don’t overlook this tip. Rolled out pasta sheets can measure up to 3ft. long.
Skip the fancy tools. You do not need ravioli molds or ravioli makers to get started. A simple ravioli cutter (aka: fluted pastry wheel) is sufficient for pretty decorative edges resemblant of little shark teeth. Or, use a large knife to cut, and a fork to press the edges, and upgrade later.
