Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage and Browned Butter

Incredibly delicious and perhaps the fastest sauce you’ll ever make, sage-infused brown butter is a great accompaniment to this ravioli, which can also be made with sweet potatoes or carrots instead of the butternut squash. The uncooked ravioli can be frozen; when ready to serve them, place the frozen ravioli directly in boiling water, as directed, and increase the boiling time by about 2 minutes.

 

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage and Browned Butter

 

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 large butternut squash, about 1 1⁄2 lb. (750 g), peeled, seeded and cut into 1⁄2-inch (12-mm) dice and boiled for 10 minutes

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 egg, separated

48 square wonton wrappers

3⁄4 cup (6 oz./185 g) unsalted butter

12 to 15 fresh sage leaves

1⁄2 cup (2 oz./60 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until soft, about 1 minute longer. Add the squash and stir to coat with the oil. Remove from the heat and, using a potato masher or a large fork, mash the squash until smooth. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the egg yolk. Set aside.

 

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Put the egg white in a small bowl and beat it with a fork. On a clean work surface, lay down 24 of the wonton wrappers. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of each wrapper with the beaten egg white. Place a heaping teaspoon of the squash filling in the middle of each wrapper. Top each with another wrapper, pressing firmly to seal the edges and taking care to press out any air bubbles.

 

Turn down the heat under the boiling water to medium. (You don’t want to cook ravioli in rapidly boiling water because they are likely to explode.) Gently lower the ravioli into the boiling water, 6 at a time, and cook until the wonton wrappers are soft, about 4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer each batch of ravioli to an oiled baking sheet.

 

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the sage leaves. Cook until the sage leaves are crisp and the butter is brown, about 3 minutes. Carefully add the ravioli to the pan, 6 at a time, and turn very gently to coat with the brown butter. Transfer the ravioli to a serving dish. Top with the remaining butter and sage leaves in the pan, sprinkle with the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

 

For this and more ideas for pasta dishes you’ll want to serve every night of the week, check out our new Pasta Night, by Kate McMillan