This yummy recipe may seem a bit challenging but with a few handy gadgets, even the first time pasta maker can make a fantastic homemade ravioli.
Ingredients:Filling:
Butternut Squash
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Pasta Dough:
4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
6 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Water
Cooking Spray
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 F.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Put into the oven for approximately 45 minutes or until soft.
Remove from oven and scoop out the pulp into a shallow pan. Cook on medium heat for approximately 8 minutes just to remove any excess water from the squash. Add salt, cinnamon and cheese. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Tools:
Rolling Pin
Pasta maker (I use the Imperia brand, I find that it works great, it pulls the dough smoothly and evenly)
Ravioli mold (This sucker was hard to find, I got mine at a store called Cucina Bella, Williams Sonoma also carries it)
Mound the flour on a flat work surface and make a well in the middle. Add your eggs, salt and olive oil to the well and mix lightly with a fork. Slowly bring in some of the flour from the inner edge to the middle. Continue adding flour until dough begins to form. Once the dough takes shape begin kneading. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time if the mixture seems dry and continue kneading for 5 to7 minutes or until the dough is elastic like and smooth. It is okay if you have not used all your flour. Cover in plastic and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into workable pieces (6 parts), keep the dough you are not working with covered. Flour your workspace, hands and dough on both sides.
Using your rolling pin roll out the dough into an oval shape. Pass the dough through the pasta machine at its widest setting. Do this a few times until the dough is smooth. Continue these steps and make the setting thinner each time. Stop at the second thinnest setting for ravioli. You will notice the dough will get longer as the settings become thinner so make sure you're moving your dough as it comes out to avoid sticking.
Spray your ravioli mold with a cooking spray. This is absolutely essential, I attempted to flour the mold as per the instructions but the ravioli stuck and broke when I tried to remove them from the mold.
Lay a sheet of your rolled pasta on the mold. Use your fingers to push the pasta into the mold and fill with your filling. Make sure you do not overfill otherwise the pasta will tear. Cover with another sheet of pasta and using your rolling pin roll over the entire mold. I found it easiest to roll around the edges first and then to reinforce each section before removing it from the mold. Removal is the trickiest part, so take your time and don't get discouraged if you tear a few.
To cook the ravioli, bring water to a boil add a pinch of salt and 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Drop the ravioli's in one at a time. Do not overcrowd the pot. The ravioli will float to the top when they are ready. Spoon out and serve with your favourite sauce. Try it with my Brown Butter Sage Sauce which makes an awesome pairing for this ravioli.
***Note: you can make your ravioli the day before, as I have and put the uncooked ravioli in the fridge layering it with either tin foil or parchment paper and covering or you can freeze the ravioli***