If there is a heaven, I know these Butternut Squash Ravioli will be on the menu. Delicate, flavorful pillows of pure joy. No matter how many I make, there are never enough to satisfy. I know, you're probably thinking, "I can't make ravioli from scratch!" Well, I'm here to tell you that you can...and that you should! Our pasta dough recipe is very simple, I promise, and the butternut squash filling is also very easy to make. In fact, make it in advance if you prefer.
I like to roast the whole squash in the oven the day before, then cut the top hunk off and basically let the skin just fall away. Some people call it lazy to roast a whole squash rather than peeling and cutting it ahead of time. Frankly, I think it's brilliant. Trust me, I'd eat a lot less squash if I had to wrestle a knife through these solid stone-like vegetables. By roasting it whole, it softens the squash so that the skin falls right off, a knife cuts through easily, and you can practically pour the messy seeds right out.
Rolling the dough and assembling the ravioli is where the fun begins. In a recent Compassionate Cuisine cooking class, a room full of adults let their inner children out to play, remarking that it was like shaping play dough and finger painting. It's a delightful way to engage others in making the meal, which results in a truly rewarding experience when you all sit down together to enjoy to fruits of your playtime.
We served the ravioli with Spinach and Walnut Pesto, yielding a feast for our eyes as well as our tummies.
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Arrange squash in a single layer on tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until squash is tender and very lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and set aside.
Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for several minutes being careful not to brown. Add the roasted squash to the pan and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in coconut cream and nutmeg and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Filling can be made a day or two in advance. You can run the filling through the food processor to create a totally smooth result, or leave it a little chunky for a more rustic filling.
Lay a pasta sheet on a lightly floured counter. The idea is that you’ll be placing a series spoonfuls of filling along the top half length of the pasta sheet, and then folding the bottom half over to make multiple ravioli. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling about an inch apart across the top of pasta sheet. Leave about 1/4 inch from the top and with a wet finger, moisten the top edges, then also use a wet finger to moisten a line between each spoonful of filling, like a grid.
Fold the bottom half of the pasta sheet up to meet the top end and press to seal, then use your finger to press in between each “bump”, pressing out extra air before creating a seal; it will look like a line of little pillows. You’ll want to ensure that all sides are sealed so the filling doesn’t come out during boiling.
Gently cut between each pocket of filling to make individual ravioli. I use a simple ravioli cutter, purchased for about $5 to make the familiar zig-zag pattern, but you can use a knife.
You can also cut larger individual squares from the pasta sheet, place filling toward the corner, then fold and seal if you want triangle ravioli, or if it seems easier.
Place completed ravioli in a single layer on a baking tray, liberally sprinkled with semolina flour. I like to “air dry” the ravioli before cooking by leaving them on the baking tray for an hour or so. They are more durable and seem to hold up better in the boiling water, though you can cook them immediately after making them as well. Make that decision ahead of time so you can plan to have a pot of boiling, salted water ready in advance if you want to cook them right away. You can also freeze them at this stage, laying them flat in a container and using parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
If you have extra dough and no more filling, try your hand at cutting noodles using the pasta maker or freehand. You can place noodles on a baking tray sprinkled with semolina flour to dry and then store in a plastic bag in the fridge or freezer.
To cook, place ravioli in gently boiling, salted water for several minutes. Ravioli will float to the top when they are ready. Use a slotted spoon to remove. Top with a little olive oil, salt, and parsley to serve
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Arrange squash in a single layer on tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until squash is tender and very lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and set aside.
Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for several minutes being careful not to brown. Add the roasted squash to the pan and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in coconut cream and nutmeg and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Filling can be made a day or two in advance. You can run the filling through the food processor to create a totally smooth result, or leave it a little chunky for a more rustic filling.
Lay a pasta sheet on a lightly floured counter. The idea is that you’ll be placing a series spoonfuls of filling along the top half length of the pasta sheet, and then folding the bottom half over to make multiple ravioli. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling about an inch apart across the top of pasta sheet. Leave about 1/4 inch from the top and with a wet finger, moisten the top edges, then also use a wet finger to moisten a line between each spoonful of filling, like a grid.
Fold the bottom half of the pasta sheet up to meet the top end and press to seal, then use your finger to press in between each “bump”, pressing out extra air before creating a seal; it will look like a line of little pillows. You’ll want to ensure that all sides are sealed so the filling doesn’t come out during boiling.
Gently cut between each pocket of filling to make individual ravioli. I use a simple ravioli cutter, purchased for about $5 to make the familiar zig-zag pattern, but you can use a knife.
You can also cut larger individual squares from the pasta sheet, place filling toward the corner, then fold and seal if you want triangle ravioli, or if it seems easier.
Place completed ravioli in a single layer on a baking tray, liberally sprinkled with semolina flour. I like to “air dry” the ravioli before cooking by leaving them on the baking tray for an hour or so. They are more durable and seem to hold up better in the boiling water, though you can cook them immediately after making them as well. Make that decision ahead of time so you can plan to have a pot of boiling, salted water ready in advance if you want to cook them right away. You can also freeze them at this stage, laying them flat in a container and using parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
If you have extra dough and no more filling, try your hand at cutting noodles using the pasta maker or freehand. You can place noodles on a baking tray sprinkled with semolina flour to dry and then store in a plastic bag in the fridge or freezer.
To cook, place ravioli in gently boiling, salted water for several minutes. Ravioli will float to the top when they are ready. Use a slotted spoon to remove. Top with a little olive oil, salt, and parsley to serve
