Happy Halloween! I figured since it's pumpkin season that I would start experimenting with some new recipes! My sidekick and partner in crime here in Nashville, Mandi Dixon from Taste Of Music, is a great cooking buddy and taste tester! We ventured off to the Nashville Farmer's Market today for some inspiration. We ended up with some pie pumpkins and fresh sage.
#themandies dressed up over the weekend for our friends always epic "Hallowaters" party. Thing 1 & Thing 2 seemed appropriate for us considering we are always referred to as Mandi 1 & Mandy 2.
As for my pantry and fridge, I had some local Goat Cheese, Pumpkin Pie Spices, Maple Syrup, flour, eggs and instantly I knew we were making ravioli! Pasta is really fun to make with friends. It's a big crowd pleaser, especially when you combine two favorite flavors that aren't usually paired together. Mandi is a lover of Goat Cheese. She definitely inspired this recipe and it was so much fun to have her around to learn to make fresh pasta. It's not as intimidating as it sounds. You could hypothetically use wonton wrappers to make a cheater version of this recipe, but 100% of the time, fresh pasta is better.
I love making things the way my grandmother Philomena taught me. There's something so satisfying about taking her basics and bringing modern flavor combinations to marry into a new creation. If she could be here, she would have loved it along with my other two angels, my grandpa George and daddy Gee!
I love making things the way my grandmother Philomena taught me. There's something so satisfying about taking her basics and bringing modern flavor combinations to marry into a new creation. If she could be here, she would have loved it along with my other two angels, my grandpa George and daddy Gee!
Pumpkin Goat Cheese Ravioli with Sage Maple Brown Butter Sauce
Fresh Pasta
2 cups AP flour
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
Pinch good salt
1 T good olive oil
Place the flour in a mound in a bowl or on a board and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, salt, and olive oil in the well. Use a fork to break up the eggs and mix into the flour from the center out until the ingredients are incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a board and begin to knead. You may need more flour or some of the reserved egg whites depending on the humidity. Knead until the dough is shiny. About six minutes or so. Make two balls with the dough and cover in plastic wrap to rest at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. You could refrigerate the pasta dough at this point also. Just make sure you let it set at room temperature for at least an hour before you try to roll it. Using a pasta machine, roll it into sheets for ravioli.
2 cups AP flour
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
Pinch good salt
1 T good olive oil
Place the flour in a mound in a bowl or on a board and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, salt, and olive oil in the well. Use a fork to break up the eggs and mix into the flour from the center out until the ingredients are incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a board and begin to knead. You may need more flour or some of the reserved egg whites depending on the humidity. Knead until the dough is shiny. About six minutes or so. Make two balls with the dough and cover in plastic wrap to rest at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. You could refrigerate the pasta dough at this point also. Just make sure you let it set at room temperature for at least an hour before you try to roll it. Using a pasta machine, roll it into sheets for ravioli.
Roasted Pumpkin Filling and Pumpkin Seeds
1-2 pie pumpkins
Canola or Vegetable Oil for brushing the pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spices
Pinch onion powder
Salt and Pepper TT
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Half the pumpkin(s) and scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, then quarter the pumpkin(s). You can reserve the extra roasted pumpkin for soup, custard, pie, cupcakes etc.. You will have plenty even from little pumpkins to make some other fantastic recipes (you can freeze it after it's roasted and puréed). Place the pumpkin quarters flesh side up on lined baking sheets and brush with a light coating of oil. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft and cooked thru. Remove from oven and allow to cool before scooping out the flesh.
In the meantime, rinse the pumpkin seeds and dry them on a kitchen towel. Place them in a bowl and toss with a tablespoon of oil (olive is fine). Spread them evenly over a baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Roast them for 20 minutes or until light golden in color.
Scoop out the cooled pumpkin flesh from the skins and place in a food processor. Pulse until a smooth texture is achieved. Reserve one cup of pumpkin purée and freeze the rest or use it for something else. Add the pumpkin pie spices and onion powder along with salt and pepper to taste. You can taste it for seasoning (the pumpkin is cooked). Put the pumpkin purée into a piping bag for easy ravioli assembly.
1-2 pie pumpkins
Canola or Vegetable Oil for brushing the pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spices
Pinch onion powder
Salt and Pepper TT
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Half the pumpkin(s) and scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, then quarter the pumpkin(s). You can reserve the extra roasted pumpkin for soup, custard, pie, cupcakes etc.. You will have plenty even from little pumpkins to make some other fantastic recipes (you can freeze it after it's roasted and puréed). Place the pumpkin quarters flesh side up on lined baking sheets and brush with a light coating of oil. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft and cooked thru. Remove from oven and allow to cool before scooping out the flesh.
In the meantime, rinse the pumpkin seeds and dry them on a kitchen towel. Place them in a bowl and toss with a tablespoon of oil (olive is fine). Spread them evenly over a baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Roast them for 20 minutes or until light golden in color.
Scoop out the cooled pumpkin flesh from the skins and place in a food processor. Pulse until a smooth texture is achieved. Reserve one cup of pumpkin purée and freeze the rest or use it for something else. Add the pumpkin pie spices and onion powder along with salt and pepper to taste. You can taste it for seasoning (the pumpkin is cooked). Put the pumpkin purée into a piping bag for easy ravioli assembly.
Assembling the Ravioli
Fresh Pasta
1 cup seasoned pumpkin purée
4 oz goat cheese at room temperature
1 egg beaten with a pinch of salt
Roll the pasta into sheets. Pipe small rounds of pumpkin filling onto half of the pasta sheets. Approximately 1 1/2 tsp for each ravioli. Top with a small amount of goat cheese (1/4-1/2tsp). Brush around the filling with egg wash and top with another sheet of pasta. Cut into desired shapes. Cook in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until they float nicely. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to sauce. Recipe follows.
Fresh Pasta
1 cup seasoned pumpkin purée
4 oz goat cheese at room temperature
1 egg beaten with a pinch of salt
Roll the pasta into sheets. Pipe small rounds of pumpkin filling onto half of the pasta sheets. Approximately 1 1/2 tsp for each ravioli. Top with a small amount of goat cheese (1/4-1/2tsp). Brush around the filling with egg wash and top with another sheet of pasta. Cut into desired shapes. Cook in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until they float nicely. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to sauce. Recipe follows.
Sage Maple Brown Butter Sauce
4 T unsalted butter
Bunch fresh sage leaves
4 T maple syrup (the real kind)
Fresh ginger TT (grated using a micro blade)
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spices
Salt and Pepper TT
In a small saucepan over medium heat, place the butter and sage and heat until the sage starts to curl up. Remove the sage and allow to drain on a paper towel. Add the maple syrup, grated ginger and spices. Cook until the sauce bubbles.
Remove from heat and toss with ravioli. Serve topped with the crispy sage and roasted pumpkin seeds.
4 T unsalted butter
Bunch fresh sage leaves
4 T maple syrup (the real kind)
Fresh ginger TT (grated using a micro blade)
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spices
Salt and Pepper TT
In a small saucepan over medium heat, place the butter and sage and heat until the sage starts to curl up. Remove the sage and allow to drain on a paper towel. Add the maple syrup, grated ginger and spices. Cook until the sauce bubbles.
Remove from heat and toss with ravioli. Serve topped with the crispy sage and roasted pumpkin seeds.
