harvest // blog issue 05.

Roasted Squash Ravioli w. EVOO Pumpkin Pureé

Squash has a way to nourish and delight a hungry crowd, no matter how it’s made. Whilst sweetest in fall you can find squash year round. I’m championing a little-known Delicata squash here. The name “delicata” is derived from the “delicate” rind which is 100% edible. The flavor of the flesh however, is anything but delicate. It’s rich, butter-smooth, candy-sweet and unctuous. I always like to roast my pumpkin for a nutty depth before liquidifying (half of it) into a silken pureé with extra virgin olive oil to create a quick and healthy pasta sauce. The remainder is mashed with a dash of cream fraiche and nutmeg, before being cooled, then enveloped in a basil pasta dough for an elevated ravioli. Topped with fragrant thai basil blossoms and kissed with herb oil. This dish can be a light starter (3-5 parcels) or a slightly large “secondi” or main meal (5-7 raviolis).

🍽 Serves 4 | 🕒 Prep Time: 75 min | Cook Time: 10 min | 🔪 Skill Level: Advanced

Ingredients

Basil Pasta Dough

1 bunch Fresh Basil, stalks removed

2 Eggs, Large

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

200g Tipo “00” Flour (Alternatively APF)

pinch Kosher Salt

1 Egg (for egg wash ‘glue’)

Squash Filling & Pureé

1 lb. Delicata Squash

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ cup Crème Fraîche

½ tsp. Nutmeg, fresh grated

½ tsp. Kosher Salt

To Serve

¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, fine grated

¼ cup Baby Basil Leaves

Equipment

Oven + One Baking Tray

Food Processor

Blender

Pastry Brush

Medium Saucepot (Boiling Water)

Medium Saucepan (Sauce)

Fine Sieve + Cheesecloth

Bowl + Ice

Method

Roasted Squash

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF / 180ºC. Halve Squash Length Ways and oil with canned spray or a splash of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place open-side down on a baking tray  lined with parchment (baking paper). Roast for 1 hour until mashable with a fork or until able to easily puncture and insert a knife through the flesh. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

2. Halve the pumpkin reserving one portion for the pureed squash and olive oil sauce and the remainder for the ravioli filling.

3. For the filling, place cooked Squash, Nutmeg and Crème Fraîche into a food processor or blender to remove larger lumps. The desired consistency is relatively thick (almost smooth peanut butter-like). Transfer into a piping bag with a 1/2 inch or 1 cm wide piping tip. Chill in the fridge to thicken until ready to fill ravioli.

4. For the sauce, blend roasted Squash with ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a sprinkle of salt to achieve a pancake-like batter (pouring) consistency. Set aside to create your sauce when serving raviolis

Basil Pasta Dough

1. Blanch Basil in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 20 seconds. This will help to preserve the color of the basil dough and the basil oil (if making). Remove and immediately transfer into a bowl of ice water to stop it cooking. Wring out the wet, wilted basil to remove as much water as possible (when you think you’re done, wring harder to remove more for the best result).

2. In a high-powered food processor or nutribullet combine Basil, Oil and Eggs. Continue processing for approximately 90 seconds until you cannot see any herb particles to create supercharged Dr. Seuss-style Green Eggs.

3. If you’d like to create a herb oil, repeat the process of blanching the basil and liquify with 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Ideally, leave the herb oil unfiltered in a mason jar in the fridge for 1 week to “steep”. When ready to use, pass oil through cheese-cloth set over a fine mesh strainer to remove any remaining particles. You’ve created an intense green herb oil that is fantastic on eggs, polenta, fish, pasta (anything).

4. In a food processor combine Flour, Green Eggs and Salt until you form a dough ball that cleans the sides of the food processor bowl.

5. Turn dough onto a clean lightly floured work surface to knead and smoothen for 2 minutes. Form into a ball and wrap tightly in cling film. Store on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes to rest (wrapped twice and stored in the fridge for up to one day if not for immediate use.

Filling and Folding Ravioli.

1. Once rested, roll your pasta dough out using a pasta roller, progressing gradually down through the machine settings (roller widths) to achieve a thickness of 1/16. (Note: You may have seen, or even had success with a ravioli filler attachment on your favorite pasta machine. I have never used one of these and I am skeptical about the reliability of these. My recommendation is hand rolling, for this is a wonderful (and relaxing) activity to do by yourself or involve the family.

2. There are a thousand ways to fold raviolis. A quick YouTube search will yield some easy-to-follow tutorials. Search Evan Funke for masterful and witty walkthroughs from a Master of Pasta. (My videos are on their way). To produce these square shaped raviolis, create two separate long sheets (the width will depend on the size of machine you have). You want one sheet 1-foot longer than the other. This will allow you to lay the longer sheet over the shorter one. The additional length will account for the extra dough needed to drape over the filling.

3. Keep the work surface generously floured to prevent sticking and allow easy pick up and transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray.

4. Pipe a Quarter-size (or AUD $1-coin-sized) amount of Squash and Crème Fraîche filling spaced 1.5 - 2 inch (or 3 - 4cm apart). This will allow sufficient space to seal each parcel and leave a small pasta “skirt” on each edge. Brush a light coating of whisked egg around each coin of filling to act as your glue (you can also use water).

5. Holding one end of the longer sheet from a height, align the opposite ends of the two sheets. Using your fingers, extract any air bubbles that form as the longer sheet drapes over the filling. Once you’ve laid the sheets together, refine each parcel using your fingers, spritzing with water if you notice the pasta getting too dry. Using a Pasta Cutter or a Square Ravioli Cutter, cut out your 2-3 inch parcels. Compress each edge to reinforce the seal on each ravioli.

6. Create as many as you can (until either the filling or dough run out), extra raviolis are great to have in the freezer for a fuss-free midweek meal. Move the tray to the freezer and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes to firm allowing easier handling and transfer of ravioli to the boiling water when ready to cook.

Cooking and Serving Ravioli.

1. When ready to cook, bring 3-4 quarts (3-4 litres) water to a boil in a pot and add 2 tablespoons salt. Have another saucepan or large frying pan with deep sides ready to create your sauce.

2. In the sauce pan, heat squash and olive oil puree on medium heat until lightly bubbling and set aside (this develops heat in your sauce to quickly finish the pasta once boiled).

3. Once Boiling, add desired number of ravioli per person to the water pot stiring immediately to prevent sticking. Once Floating (2-3 minutes) ravioli are ready to transfer to your warm sauce. Transfer using a Pasta Scoop or Slotted Spoon and at this time add 1/4 cup of pasta water to the sauce to thin the pumpkin puree out. Grate in some parmesan cheese and any other cooked vegetables you like (this might include Roasted Pumpkin Cubes, Asparagus tips, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach leaves etc.)

4. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper and serve on warm plates to your salivating guests. In a matter of time they’ll be dying for seconds!

Wine Pairing

My pairing suggestion is Arneis. Arneis is an Italian white wine varietal native to the northern Italian region of Piedmont. The crisp, herbaceous, floral nature of Arneis accented with baking spice and honey notes is sure to complement. This pairing embodies the notion of “Food Goes With What is Grows With”.

For a wonderful benchmark Arneis at a reasonable price, seek out Vietti Roero Arneis DOCG.

The DOCG classification is a “Guarantee” that this producer has passed strict Italian winemaking regulations. This signifies that the wine is made in an truly authentic fashion to resemble time-honoured characteristics and style of Arneis. “The real deal”.

RRP: $23.99US

Nutrition

Adobe Color

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