A recent photo of homemade butternut squash ravioli and sausage ravioli.
I adore winter squash. Pumpkin, acorn, butternut — there is just something comforting about the smell when roasting, knowing that these squash took an entire summer to grow slowly in the sun. Butternut squash are mild in flavor and reflect that summer sun in the golden color of their flesh. They make a great filling for ravioli. Just be sure to get as much water out of the squash filling as possible before filling your pasta to ensure a nice, firm ravioli.
I made a huge batch of this ravioli a while ago and stored some in the freezer to use on a busy weekday night when I didn’t have much of a desire to cook. All you have to do is bring some water to boil, melt some butter in a sauce pan and add some sage leaves, then boil your ravioli and toss in the brown butter sauce.
Grate a bit of fresh parmesan cheese on top, add a green veggie on the side and you have a restaurant quality dinner in minutes.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups cooked butternut squash
1/2 Cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp nutmeg (fresh grated if possible)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Fresh pasta, rolled out in sheets for filling (see my pasta recipe)
2-3 Tbs butter
5-6 fresh sage leaves
salt
extra parmesan to top your pasta
Procedure:
Cut a medium butternut squash in half, length-wise and clean out the guts and seeds. Cover in foil and place face down on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Let your squash cool enough to be able to handle it. Scrape out the flesh with a spoon and mash or puree in a processor. I like to let it sit in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl for a while so the excess water can drain out.
Prepare your pasta while your squash is draining, then mix your squash, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg together. Give it a taste to see if the seasonings are okay, then add your egg and mix throughly.
Lay a sheet of fresh pasta out and add about 1 rounded tsp of filling to the center of each ravioli you are making. Cover with another sheet of pasta and cut your individual ravioli with a pizza cutter, then seal each with firm pressure or use the tines of a fork to seal by gently pressing down on all edges. Try to seal the ravioli all the way up to the filling so there are no air pockets. Set aside on a sheet pan, covering with a towel while you continue making the rest.
In a large stock pot, bring about 10 cups of salted water to a boil. While your water is coming to a boil, melt your butter in a sauce pan over medium heat until it begins to brown a bit. Add your sage leaves and turn your burner down to low heat, stirring occasionally. If your pan is too hot, you can turn it off until you are ready to add your cooked pasta.
Add your ravioli in batches to the boiling water and boil for a few minutes until they begin to float. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the saucepan with the brown butter and sage sauce. Once all your ravioli are cooked, add salt if needed, toss in the butter sauce, pour the ravioli onto a platter, and top with the extra grated parmesan cheese. Trust me when I say all the work towards making this will be worth it upon first bite.
When in Doubt, Add Butter 