Ringing in 2011 with Butternut Squash Ravioli

I know that I already mentioned this amazing meal in my last blog post, but I just had to share it again. I cook a lot, and I think this is the most amazing thing I've ever made!

Yesterday my husband and I were making our weekly grocery list, and I sat looking at this butternut squash that my mother-in-law gave us at Thanksgiving. I recalled having amazing ravioli made with the squash at a friend's wedding over the summer, so I asked my husband if he was up for making some pasta. Since getting the pasta attachments for our mixer a few years ago, he pretty much jumps at the chance to make pasta, so it was no surprise that he was down for it.

Since I'd never made it before, we both started searching online for recipes. It was funny that we both came back with the same one! Here it is - Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce, courtesy of Emeril Lagasse via www.foodnetwork.com.

Ingredients
    •    9 tablespoons butter
    •    3 tablespoons minced shallots
    •    1 cup roasted butternut squash puree
    •    Salt
    •    Freshly ground white pepper
    •    3 tablespoons heavy cream
    •    3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 ounces
    •    Pinch nutmeg
    •    1 recipe pasta dough, rolled out into wide ribbons, about 1/4-inch thick
    •    12 fresh sage leaves
    •    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

To make the butternut squash puree - start by cutting your squash in quarters and scooping out the seeds and sticky stuff. Drizzle the quarters with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash on a baking dish and put it in a 400 degree oven for about  50 minutes. When it's cool enough to handle, scoop out the squash, run it through a food processor to puree it, and voila!

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute. Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste. Season with salt and pepper. I went back and forth tasting at this point adding a bit more nutmeg, and salt before it was where I wanted it. Be sure to taste your food! Let it cool completely before making your ravioli.

Make a normal batch of pasta dough, and roll it into sheets - I think my husband used the 5 setting on our roller.

Place 1-2 teaspoons of filling for each ravioli - size depending on how big your cutters are. Either fold them by hand, cut them with cutters, or just do whatever you do to make ravioli!

When all of your ravioli are made, add them to salted boiling water - cook them for about 3 minutes or until they float and look done.

Remove the pasta from the water and drain well. Season the pasta with salt and pepper.

In a large saute pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown. Remove from the heat.

Place some of the pasta in the center of each serving plate. Spoon the butter sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle the 2 ounces of cheese over each plate and garnish with parsley.

I can't even tell you how amazing this dish is! The recipe made so much ravioli that we froze 1/2 of them and even had leftovers of the cooked ones that we ate for lunch today. Seriously good stuff here.