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Pumpkin and 3-Cheese Ravioli with Sage Walnut Butter Sauce

More pumpkin… Must have more PUMPKIN!

In our month of gearing up for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner, we’re sharing a pumpkin recipe each week.  In case you missed them, check out the recipes for Pumpkin Sheet Cake and Pumpkin Apple Soup.

This Pumpkin Ravioli was a signature dish for us under the helm of our first Executive Chef, Nancy Stark. Don’t knock the pumpkin filling until you’ve tried it – it’s heavenly! The simple sauce of butter with walnuts and sage is drizzled on sparingly to add a richness and fullness to the dish. We use this recipe when guests want to be involved in some ‘hands-on’ dinner preparation. They love to see how easy it is to make your own stuffed ravioli.

Pumpkin and 3-Cheese Ravioli with Sage Walnut Butter Sauce

Pumpkin and Three-Cheese Ravioli with Sage Walnut Butter Sauce

SAUCE

  • ½ cup butter, unsalted
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 18 sage leaves, fresh, 8 cut fine chiffonade plus 5 whole, for garnish
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

RAVIOLI

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, whole, minced
  • 1 to 1/2 cups pumpkin, roasted, roughly pureed
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese, crumbled
  • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 40 wonton wrappers (available in produce section of most grocery stores)
  • 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
  • Water, for cooking
  • 1 teaspoon salt, for water

For the sauce, in a heavy skillet melt butter over low heat.  Continue to cook on low heat until golden brown and giving off a nutty aroma.  Remove from heat.  Add walnuts and sage chiffonades, salt, and pepper. Gently stir to combine and set aside.

For the ravioli, in a large sauté pan heat oil and sauté onions until soft and golden brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning.  Remove from heat.  Add garlic and pumpkin.  Gently stir to combine well.  Transfer mixture to a medium mixing bowl.  Add ricotta, feta, and parmesan cheese. Stir well to combine.  Very gradually add beaten egg yolks and gently stir to combine. (Filling should be moist, but not runny.)  Add nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine thoroughly.  Set aside.

To prepare, on a clean, flat surface place one wonton wrapper.  Put 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of wrapper.  Using a pastry brush (or your fingers), brush the edges of wrapper with egg white and top with another wrapper.  Press edges together lightly to seal.  (Make sure there are no edges left unsealed or filling will leak during the cooking process.)  Repeat this process until all filling is used.  In a large saucepan add salt and enough water to fill ¾ of pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Carefully drop the ravioli, one by one, into the boiling water.  Cook for 3 minutes or until the ravioli floats to the surface.  Using a large slotted spoon, remove ravioli from water and transfer to warm dinner plates. Top with sauce.  Add 1 whole sage leaf to each plate, for garnish.  Serve warm.   Makes 4 to 5 servings.

ETC:

Chiffonade is a cutting method that allows leafy vegetables and herbs to be formed into ribbons or thin strips, usually for garnishes.  While basil is easily the most common herb used for this sort of knife technique, other herbs such as the fresh sage called for in this recipe also work well.   Simply stack multiple leaves and roll them into a tight cylinder shape.  Using a very sharp knife, cut the herb cylinder horizontally creating aromatic ribbons that release the herbs natural oils and create a more intense flavor.  Leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and cabbage may also be used for this technique.  If you wish to make the chiffonade ahead of time, simply immerse the ribbons into a cool water bath to prevent discoloration.

Find this and other CCKC favorite recipes in our cookbook –
“The Culinary Center of Kansas City’s
BEST RECIPES – SECOND EDITION.” ™
Available for purchase online at www.kcculinary.com
and in our retail store -  “The Kitchen Shop.”™

Thanksgiving cooking classes
Keep an eye out here
on the Kitchen Talk Blog
for more pumpkin recipes in November…

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