Eastern Market Recipe of the Week: Butternut Squash Ravioli
The chefs at Eastern Market are sharing their knowledge of healthy cooking with fresh, often locally-sourced ingredients. Each week, they’ll be sharing a different tried-and-true recipe that you can make at home; with the peace of mind that it contains balanced nutrition for you, and your family.
This week’s recipe is: Butternut Squash Ravioli
Recipe by Eastern Market Head Chef Aaron Egan
Ingredients:
For Pasta Dough: (Yield: 25 raviolis)
• 2 ¼ lb. of Pastry Flour
• 2 lbs. of All Purpose Flour
• 11 whole Eggs
• ¾ qt of egg yolks (Frozen or Fresh)
• 1/3 cup of Olive Oil
• Room temperature water, as needed
• Semolina Flour, as neededFor Filling:
• 5 to 6 lbs. of Butternut squash
• ½ cup of Fresh Thyme
• 1 cup of olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 2 to 3lbs of Ricotta Cheese
• ½ tablespoon of fresh ground nutmeg
• 4 Shallot, minced
• 8 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 sticks of Butter, Unsalted
• 1 ½ cup of Fresh Sage Leaves
• 1/3 cup of Lemon Zest
• 1 cup of Parmesan Cheese
Method:
For the Dough:
Mix all ingredients together by hand or in a mixing machine, and knead the dough really good.
If the dough is a dry add a little of water, if it was sticky it is ok, but when shaping it, make sure to flour the work surface. After shaping the dough into Raviolis, sprinkle some semolina, to avoid the dough to stick to the surface.
For Filling:
Peel and deseed the butternut squash. Lay them on a sheet tray and add the thyme leaves and roast in the oven for 400 F, for 25 to 30 minutes, until fully cooked.
In a food processor, add the butternut squash and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and buzz it together, until blended and combined, to become a smooth paste.
In a mixing bowl put the Ricotta cheese, and add the pureed butternut squash and fold and combine together. Add the nutmeg, and mix it in.
Using a piping pastry bag, fill the raviolis.
For the sauce and finishing dish:
In a hot sauté pan, add the olive oil, shallots and garlic, and cook on medium heat (avoid burning the shallots and garlic), until soften.
Meanwhile drop your raviolis in a pot of salted boiling water, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add ½ cup of the pasta water in the pan with shallots and garlic, add the butter, sage leaves and season with salt.
Add the raviolis in the pan to the sauce, until the sauce covers it.
Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and a light drizzle of olive oil, AND ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!
