Butternut Squash Ravioli [Ravioli di Zucca]
Author: 
Serves: 8
 
Equipment: potato masher, pasta machine, pasta cutter. You will need to work on a table or a wide working surface.
Ingredients
  • RAVIOLI DOUGH
  • 200 g (7 oz) "00" flour or all-purpose flour
  • 200 g (7 oz) semolina flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • RAVIOLI FILLING
  • 600 g (21 oz) pre-cut butternut squash (see notes)*
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated + more as topping
  • 120 g (4.2 oz) amaretti cookies, crushed
  • 1 untreated lemon, zested
  • a pinch of nutmeg
  • salt
  • 1 egg
  • BUTTER & SAGE SAUCE
  • a few leaves of sage
  • half stick of butter
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • (optional toppings) crushed amaretti, fresh sage leaves, finely chopped almonds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F).MAKING THE PASTA DOUGH
  2. Sift together semolina flour and all-purpose flour on a clean working surface and form a well in the center. Crack eggs into the center and add a generous pinch of salt. Start mixing eggs with a fork, gradually drawing the flour from the borders towards the center. Bring all the dough lumps together with your hands and knead for about 10 minutes, until you obtain a smooth dough ball. Cover entirely with plastic film and let rest for at least 30 minutes. (You can read a detailed fresh egg pasta tutorial here)MAKING THE FILLING
  3. Place butternut squash pieces on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until soft and dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and scrape off charred bits of flesh.
  4. Place baked squash in a wide-bottom bowl and mash until all big lumps are gone (you can use a potato masher or a hand-held blender). Stir in cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, and crushed amaretti cookies. Add salt to taste. Crack an egg into the squash mixture and stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.ROLLING OUT DOUGH
  5. Set your pasta machine on a wide working surface (kitchen table is perfect!). Cut dough into equal pieces (a little smaller than a golf ball); take one piece and wrap the other ones in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Flatten the dough piece with your hands into a rectangle and lightly dust it with semolina flour.
  6. Set your pasta machine to widest setting. Run dough through the machine and fold it in half (end to end). Run folded dough through machine again. Adjust to narrower setting and continue the same way, working your way up to the thinnest setting (that's # 6 on my machine). Make sure to very lightly dust your dough every once in a while, before running it through the machine. If the rolled sheet becomes too long, you can cut it in half to make it more manageable, but try to obtain similar-length sheets. Once your first rolled sheets are ready, place them on a lightly floured surface and cover them right away with clean kitchen towels (or they'll dry out!).MAKING RAVIOLI
  7. Dust your working surface before placing a rolled sheet on it. Arrange little amounts of filling (about ½ Tbsp) in 2 rows, about 1 inch away from each other (see photo above). Cover with another sheet and, with your fingers, gently press the dough around the filling to push out the air and to seal the ravioli. Cut in squares, running a pasta cutter right in between the little filled areas. Place ravioli on a tray lightly dusted with semolina flour.COOKING RAVIOLI
  8. If you decide to cook all 8 servings, work in batches. Cook for about 4-5 minutes in boiling salted water.BUTTER AND SAGE SAUCE
  9. While ravioli are cooking, melt butter in a wide sauté pan on medium, add sage leaves and heat until the butter sizzles. Turn heat to low. Add a few tablespoons of cooking water from the ravioli pot. Stir and swirl the pan from time to time, letting the butter emulsify until the liquid is reduced to a creamy sauce.
  10. Toss ravioli in sauce for a minute, until completely coated. Grind some black pepper on top. Sprinkle some grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, a few crushed amaretti, and chopped almonds. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and serve!
Recipe by Very EATalian at https://www.veryeatalian.com/butternut-squash-ravioli/