“Mom, can we have butternut squash ravioli for Thanksgiving?”

After participating in a pasta-making tutorial, a ten-year-old boy did just ask that question. And why not eat ravioli for Thanksgiving; it is so delicious! This ravioli recipe has two of the essential Thanksgiving ingredients: squash and sage. Making pasta created quite a sensation last Saturday.

Kelly of VeganThyme wrote, “I was in your store yesterday and bought a pasta machine from you. I love it! I wanted to thank you for helping me with my purchase and answering my questions (and allowing me to watch a bit of your pasta making class!). I will be back soon to buy more flour!” She also purchased the nonstick silicone pastry mat, which makes rolling and and form doughs so easy because the dough does not stick to the countertop.

As I learned in cooking class from chef-owner Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Cafe, the best flour for pasta making is not semolina flour, but 00 flour, imported from Italy, which makes a satiny and pliable dough.

Butternut Squash Ravioli in Brown Butter-Sage Sauce

For the pasta dough:

• 1 cup 00 flour
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• Warm water

Mix together the flour and eggs by hand or in a food processor. Add enough water to make a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. Cut the dough in half and flour. Using a pasta machine on the widest setting, roll out the dough. Fold in half and roll again. Repeat 4-5 times, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Then roll the dough through all the settings to make it thin. Put dollops of the squash mixture on the dough, then lay another sheet of pasta on top. Seal around the filling so that there are no air bubbles. Cut into ravioli squares. Sprinkle a tray with coarse semolina or cornmeal so that the ravioli do not stick together. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt, and boil the ravioli for 1 minute. Drain and toss with sauce.

For the squash filling:

• 1 large butternut squash, roasted
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• freshly-ground nutmeg to taste

Remove pulp from squash and put through a ricer. Add remaining ingredients to taste.

For the brown butter sauce:

• ½ cup butter
• Fresh sage leaves, julienned

Carefully melt the butter and cook until golden brown (but not burnt!). Add the sage.