Butternut Squash Ravioli

I’ve been loving butternut squash this fall! It is so good plain, or in pasta, or soup…and a friend of mine recently had me over and put it on her homemade whole wheat pizza dough with ricotta cheese and onion (no sauce) – a delicious combo! So I thought I would try another recipe involving butternut squash. I did some research and combined a few things I liked from a couple of different recipes to make up the recipe below for butternut squash and mascarpone cheese ravioli with a white sauce.

I heard from a friend that using won ton wrappers was a decent/easier substitute for ravioli so I tried that. I don’t know…I guess I had high expectations but I wasn’t 100% satisfied with the result. I think I was just hoping for the same consistency as pasta and they were a little thinner and more slippery or gummy in texture. I don’t know, I guess I would have to try it again but I am not convinced yet that this is the best option. Otherwise this was delicious – I loved the filling…I could have just eaten it with a spoon! It was definitely a rich, cheesy, butternut squash-y combo that was quite good…I just need to perfect the ravioli aspect. Here is the recipe…and if anyone has feedback or has used won ton wrappers successfully, please let me know – I’d love to hear how you did it!

Ravioli Filling

• 1 medium (1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, split in half, seeds removed (about 1 lb cooked)
• 2 cloves garlic, skin on, tip removed
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage (15 ml)
• two shallots finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp butter (15 ml)
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

White Sauce

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh savoury
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Grano Padano or Parmigiano Regianno, or to taste (125 ml)
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh chives
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub oil over cut side of squash. Place the 2 garlic cloves into each of the hollowed out portion of the squash where the seeds were removed. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast cut side up until tender, about 1 hour. Let cool. Scoop out the flesh and transfer to a large bowl. Discard the skin of the squash.
2. Saute 1 tablespoon butter with shallots, sage and roasted garlic until soft and golden. Add cooked squash to onion mixture and mash together. Allow to cool slightly, then add mascarpone and combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Brush the edge of dumpling wrapper or pasta lightly with beaten egg and put approximately 1 tsp. of filling in the middle. Fold dough over. Press out air and pinch edges securely with fork. (I used a wine glass to cut them into circles, then pinched with my fingers). Lay on a baking sheet, not overlapping.

4. Sauté shallots in butter, savoury and sage for 3 minutes in a saucepan or skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken stock and cream and reduce by half, about 7 to 10 minutes.
5. Drop ravioli into a pot of gently boiling salted water and cook until they are tender, and rise to the surface (about 3-7 minutes).
6. Drain immediately and toss in sauce. Add chives and lemon juice. Sprinkle with cheese and stir. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.