Chew on This | Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Gourds.  They're everywhere.  

And if you have your wits about you, you'll grab a bunch and make all kinds of Fall-ish meals with them.  

This is perhaps my favorite way to eat a gourd .   Mmmmm.  Butternut squash ravioli.  With brown butter sage sauce. 

This time of year, if the husband and I get a chance to have a date night, I look for this ravioli on the menu.  It's so good.  And it's not heavy.  Yet, it's hearty.  

Does that even make any sense?  

For this dish, you'll first have to roast your squash.  Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds.

Place cut side down on a foil covered baking sheet.  Make sure you spray the foil with nonstick spray.

The squash is done when it is fork tender.

Scoop out the roasted flesh and discard the squash skin.  Now you can prepare the ravioli filling.

The filling ingredients include:  roasted squash, bread crumbs, nutmeg, grated parmesan cheese, crushed amaretti cookies, salt, pepper and one egg.

Place the roasted squash into a food processor (or blender or food mill) and blend until smooth.  That was pretty easy.

Now, add your remaining ingredients and pulse to make smooth.  Make sure you taste the filling here.  Add more cheese or nutmeg.  Whatever your preference.

Finished product.  Very good.

Now.  On to the pasta making.

Flour, egg and salt.  Pretty basic.

Knead your dough and prepare to roll it out by hand or using a pasta maker.

I chose to use my Kitchenaid pasta attachments.  Fresh pasta here we come!

Dah - dah - dahhhhhhhh.

As you can see, this didn't go as planned.  First, I used whole wheat flour and the consistency of my pasta dough was not right from the start.  Second, I'm not very experienced (at all) in making pasta.  I needed another set of hands to help me keep things moving properly.  Unfortunately, no one was around.  

Well, I shall practice.  And practice some more.  I will come back here with a fool proof pasta recipe and directions for easy peasy pasta making.  Mark my words.

So.  What to do in the mean time?  Use some wonton wrappers.


If you haven't used wonton wrappers before, you can usually find them in the produce department at the grocery store.  
They are a quick save and a pretty good alternative to fresh made pasta.

Set out a few wonton sheets and spoon on a dollop of your squash filling.  Wet the edges of the wrapper and top with a second wonton sheet.

Crimp the edges with a fork to tighten the seal and keep the ravioli from opening when cooking.  Place ravioli in boiling water for approximately 4 minutes.  Scoop pasta out with a slotted spoon and plate.

Now for the sauce...

Start by melting butter over low heat and adding 4-5 fresh sage leaves.  Let sage leaves brown slightly on the edges and remove from the heat.

Pour the sage sauce over the warm pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

A lovely Fall meal awaits!  No restaurant required.

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Here's the recipe:

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Filling:

1-2 butternut squash

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup crushed amaretti cookies 

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Cover with foil and oil a large baking pan.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Place the halves, cut side down, onto the prepared baking pan.  Bake squash until fork tender.  Remove from oven, let cool, and scoop flesh out of shell.  Puree the flesh in a food processor, blender or food mill.  Stir in cheese, bread crumbs, crushed amaretti cookies, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate until needed.


Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

4 fresh sage leaves

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, for sprinkling 

In a saute pan over low heat, melt butter.  Add sage leaves and gently saute until lightly browned at the edges, about 3 minutes.  Keep warm until pasta is ready.

To make ravioli:

Wonton wrappers

squash filling

Place wonton sheets on wax paper and dollop a small amount of filling onto the center of each.  Brush the edges of the wrapper with a small amount of water and place a second wonton wrapper on top.  Crimp the edges of the wrappers with a fork to seal.

Cook ravioli in a pot of rapidly salted, boiling water for approximately 4 minutes.

Remove pasta from the water with a slotted spoon and place on a serving dish.  Cover pasta with brown butter sage sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!