Baby Steps

I’m intimidated by homemade ravioli. They look so pretty and dainty on other people’s blogs, and if you know me at all, you know that pretty and dainty aren’t really my forte. Rolling out dough of any kind is liable to induce a barrage of cursing and possibly crying.

That’s why I’ve been avoiding making these ravioli since October. However, I’ve managed to be on call for the past 3 days without being called in for an excruciating 8 hour Dachshund disc surgery or to extract socks from a Labrador’s bowels, so I had some time on my hands for the first time in months.

These were far less tedious than I anticipated and more delicious than expected. There wasn’t even any swearing involved, promise! (Except when a horrid choral version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” interrupted my instrumental Pandora station).

P.S Bragging about not getting called in is the surest way to hear your phone ring. Get rid of your metal lawn edging, people. It slices up your dog, and then I get called in to sweat in the OR instead of sipping eggnog on Christmas.

Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Barely adapted from savorysimple.net

This recipe made 20 large ravioli with leftover filling. You can either double the pasta, roll it thinner than I managed, or save the remaining filling for another meal.

Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, diced
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup ricotta
1/2 teaspoon salt (3/4 tsp if your ricotta is really low sodium)
1/4 teaspoon dried sage (I added 2 T of fresh as well)
fresh grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne

Fresh Pasta:
up to 2 cups all purpose or cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Sage Brown butter sauce:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 T chopped fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Make the filling:

• Sweat diced shallot in butter until soft. 
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl. 

Make the pasta:

• Make a well with 1 cup of the flour and salt. 
• Beat the eggs and olive oil in the well with a fork and begin slowly incorporating the flour with a swirling motion. Start forming a ball with your hand and squeeze the dough together with your fingers. You want the dough to be a bit "tacky.” You don't want it too dry. Add flour as needed, up to 2 cups total. 
• Once the dough is formed, wrap it in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 
• If you don't have a pasta machine, you can use a rolling pin, but a machine will make the job easier. I rolled my dough by hand, like a boss. 
• Sprinkle some flour onto a cutting board to prevent the pasta from sticking while assembling the ravioli. 

Assemble the ravioli:

• Egg wash one sheet of pasta. Drop filling by tablespoon, evenly spaced on pasta sheet. 
• Bring a second sheet of pasta over the first, slowly pressing the dough around the filling and removing the air. 
• Cut ravioli to desired shape with a knife or cookie cutter. Hand press or fork press the edges, and allow to dry for a bit before cooking. 
• Drop into simmering water for 2-5 minutes, depending on size. 

Make the sauce:

• In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and then slowly brown the milk solids. This will take about 5 minutes. 
• Once the milk solids begin to brown, add the chicken stock and reduce the heat, allowing the sauce to simmer and thicken a bit. 
• Add sage and salt and pepper to taste