Pumpkin Ravioli
Cream Sauce recipe courtesy Giacomo's, a restaurant in Boston
Pumpkin ravioli is also often made with a Sage & Brown Butter Sauce.
For the ravioli filling:
1 1/2 pound pumpkin (or 1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree)
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated Locatelli (Pecorino Romano) cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the ravioli pasta dough:
1 1/2 cups semolina flour, finest grind
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Cream Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped sage leaves
3 Tbsp. mascarpone (or substitute 2 Tbsp. cream cheese and 1 Tbsp. sour cream)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup or less grated Pecorino Romano
Salt and pepper
Deep fried sage leaves for garnish
Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Quarter the pumpkin, removing the strings and seeds and place, flesh side down, on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, or until tender. Peel and puree flesh. Add egg yolk, cheese, sage, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
Make the ravioli pasta dough: Place the flours in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the salt, eggs, and olive oil. Process until the dough begins to mass on the blade (about 1-2 minutes).
Remove the dough from the processor and press it into a ball. Wrap in plastic and let rest at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before rolling and cutting.
Yield: 1 1/2 pounds, enough for about 36 raviolis
Make the raviolis: Roll out the pasta dough using a pasta machine (you can also do this by hand). Cut the dough into 3 or 4 pieces and roll each into a ball. Take out 1 ball of dough at a time, keep the others covered. Slightly flatten the dough by hand. Put it through the rollers of the pasta machine on the widest setting. Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed. Reduce the space between the rollers by 1 or 2 settings. It is not necessary to put the rolled out dough through each setting. Skip every other one. The sheets will become thinner and longer. Cut them in half crosswise for easier handling. Roll the dough until it is quite thin. Place the sheets of dough on a lightly floured surface.
Follow these steps to make the individual raviolis. Let the raviolis dry on cookie racks for about 30 minutes.
Make the cream sauce: In saute pan, melt the butter with a pinch of pepper, the sage, and mascarpone. Add heavy cream and reduce to a thick sauce, about 10 minutes.
While the sauce is reducing, gently boil the pasta. They will take 5 - 7 minutes and will float to the top when they are done. Drain and add to the sauce. Toss the pasta in the sauce over low heat until the pasta is well coated. Add the cheese and salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fried sage leaves and serve immediately.
Yield: about 36 raviolis, enough for 6 servings
Another popular sauce for Pumpkin Ravioli is Butter Sage Sauce.
