Discover Homemade Pasta...
Home-made Ravioli stuffed with butternut squash
When
should I make it?
You need time for this recipe! You
also need a bit of patience but the rewards are there at the end of the
journey and the more often you do it the easier it gets!
It's a great dish to make for a dinner party if you want to impress
your friends! You can also do a fair bit in advance allowing you to
spend more time with your guests and less time in the kitchen.
How long will it take?
There are three elements to
this recipe: the pasta, the filling and the sauce and in total to make
it from scratch I would set aside a couple of hours - especially if
this is your first time making fresh pasta!
What ingredients do I need?
To make fresh
pasta you will need:
- 100g of flour (type 00) and 1 egg (best quality
you can find) per person
- Pinch of salt
To make the filling you will need:
- 1 Butternut Squash
- A good handfull of parmasan
- A good handfull of good quality breadcrumbs
(not shop bought!)
- A
few rocket leaves
To make the sauce
- A
small bunch sage leaves
- Butter
- Parmasan
cheese
- Salt
& Black Pepper
Can I use any alternatives if I
can find certain
ingredients?
You can make any type of filling you like. It doesn't have to be
vegetarian either! Some possibilities include, mushroom, pumpkin,
spinach and ricotta and even bolognese. It can be a good way to use up
leftovers by mixing a vegetable or a minced meat with a cheese (most
usually ricotta).
What
preparation do I need to
do / what can I
do in advance?
You can make the fresh pasta in advance. Some people like to make a lot
of fresh pasta when they make it (as it does take time and can be
messy!). If you do this, you can freeze it either at the dough stage in
small batches and take it out, defrost and use it as you need it. You
could also freeze the ravioli once you've make them.
The filling too can be made separately and in advance.
What
are the main steps?
To make the
pasta:
- Place flour on a large clean surface and make a
well in the middle
- Crack eggs into the well
- Begin to mix eggs with the flour (Start with a
fork but you'll soon need to get your hands dirty!)
- As the flour and egg mixture comes together,
begin to nead.
- If it is too wet it may need more flour and if
it is too dry it may need more egg.
- Continue to nead until the dough becomes elastic
- Wrap dough in clingflim and place in a cool
place for about 30 minutes
- Roll the dough out into 2 thin and flat sheets
either with a rolling pin or pasta rolling machine if you have one.
You could mix the ingresients in the initial steps above in a food
processor if you wish.
To make the
filling:
- Cut the butternut squash into slices (about an
inch thick)
- Lightly score the slices with a knife
- Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake
in the oven on a moderate heat until soft
- Leave to cool slightly once removed from the
oven and then remove the flesh, discarding skins and any remaining
seeds.
- In a bowl, mix and season the butternut squash
with salt and pepper
- Slowly add some breadcrumbs and parmasan
continuting to mix
- Allow mixture to get a bit thicker. (like a
paste - but not too thick)
- Add a few finely chopped rocket leaves to the
mixture
You could mix the ingredients in the final few steps above in a food
processor.
To make the
Ravioli:
- Place small teaspoon sized portion of the
filling onto one of the pasta sheets at intervals depending on the size
of ravioli you want to make
- Brush around each of the small mounds of
filling with beaten egg or water
- Place second sheet of pasta over the sheet with
the fillings on
- With each mound of filling start to push the
second layer of pasta down in such a way as to remove the air from the
pocket of filing.
- Once you do this with all 'filling pockets' you
should then end up with a sheet of pasta from which you can cut out the
individual ravioli.
- Cut out each ravioli one by one, dust it with
flour and put it to one side.
- Leave the ravioli to dry a little before
cooking in boiling salted water
To make the
sauce:
- In a pan over a low to moderate heat add some
butter and the sage
- As the butter begins to melt add the
ravioli and coat with the sauce.
- It is sometimes a good idea to reserve some of
the water the pasta has been cooked in and add a spoonful or two to the
ravioli and butter if it looks a little dry for your taste.
How should I serve it?
Ravioli are often served with butter and sage sauce and a sprinkle of
fresh parmasan. They can also be served with a pesto sauce or
even a simple tomato sauce.
Are there any variations to
this recipe that I could
try?
You
can make ravioli of different shapes and sizes as well as any number of
the different fillings mentioned above. The only restraint is your own
imagination!
What are the origins of this
recipe?
It
seems likely that ravioli originated in northern Italy but now is
enjoyed with different fillings throughout the country.
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