Butternut squash spinach ravioli – to fight the September melancholy

Directions for facing September without fear of summer memories:

Live in the now. Beware of the here and now. Now is neither the past nor the future. Should have, could have, don’t matter.

• Eliminate the thought cages that drives you to believe you are always in the wrong place, in the wrong moment of your life. The now is awesome, you’re alive.
• When they tell you “be careful what you wish for” they should also tell you that if you go to bed and instead of count the sheep you repeat yourself “Oh dear Jesus please get me slimmer please” in the morning you will wake up with the most brutal gastroenteritis of the world.
• Gastroenteritis is the latest diet.
• Bake these butternut squash spinach ravioli. It is well known that there is nothing more effective than pumpkin to face the autumn melancholy. Scientifically proven by Massachusetts University research – they made researches about everything, they must get a research also on that, don’t they?

Butternut squash spinach ravioli – the recipe

INGREDIENTS

For the spinach pasta

• 200 grams of durum wheat semolina
• 70 grams of all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 70 grams of fresh spinach
• a pinch of salt

For the stuffing

• 50 grams of mortadella ham
• 100 grams of baked pumpkin flesh
• 150 grams of fresh ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan
• some pinch of orange zeste
• salt and black pepper q.b.

For the sauce

• butter q.b.
• some leaves of sage
• grated cottage cheese q.b.
• poppy seeds q.b.

While you taste listen: Calcutta, Cosa mi manchi a fare

PROCESS

1.  Prepare the spinach pasta following the process that you find here. Once made the fresh pasta, work it to obtain thin sheets, so cut in squares: the bigger is the square the bigger will be the raviolo size. Set aside and let’s dedicate to the stuffing.
2. In a blender mix the ricotta cheese with mortadella ham. Pour the mix into a boule so add the smashed pumpkin flesh and the grated parmesan.
3.  Adjust with salt and pepper and mix everything with a fork. If you want to blend all the ingredients together in the mixer do it – but I prefer to taste some bigger pieces of pumpkin flesh – it’s up to you! Cool the filling for 1 hour in fridge (this will make it more “workable”).
4. Once the stuffing is made, place a teaspoon of stuffing in the center of each pasta square. Shape the butternut squash spinach ravioli by making a triangle by joining two opposite corners of the squares, so close it to obtain a ravioli shape (explain it in words is hard … but on youtube you can find lots of tutorial).
5. When all butternut squash spinach ravioli are cooked in abundant salted water, drained it directly into the sauce. The sauce is very easy to prepare: melt the butter, add the poppy seeds, flavor it with the fresh sage. Finish with a sprinkle of grated cottage cheese. Enjoy them!

Ph. Sara Cartelli
© The Eat Culture