Squash and ricotta ravioli with chestnut butter sauce recipe

This is such a scrummy vegetarian pasta dish: rich, seasonal flavours, great texture and a simple sauce.

Ingredients

1. 450g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
2. 1 tbsp olive oil
3. 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
4. 150g ricotta, drained
5. 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
6. 100g grated vegetarian Parmesan

For the pasta

1. 300g extra strong plain flour
2. for pasta and bread, plus extra
3. for dusting
4. 3 large eggs

For the chestnut butter sauce

1. 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2. 100g butter
3. 150g cooked and peeled chestnuts (we like Merchant Gourmet), finely chopped
4. 2-3 sage leaves, finely chopped

Method

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/ fan170°C/gas 5. Put the squash in a roasting tin, drizzle with the oil, season and toss together. Roast for 20 minutes, then add the garlic and mix together. Roast for a further 5-10 minutes, until tender. Cool.
2. 2. Meanwhile, make the pasta. Put the flour and eggs in a food processor and pulse into a loose ball. Turn out onto a surface dusted with flour and knead for about 3 minutes, until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.
3. 3. Pulse the squash in the cleaned-out food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the ricotta, sage and three-quarters of the Parmesan. Season, then set aside.
4. 4. Quarter the dough, take 1 piece and set the rest aside, covered to prevent it from drying out. Set the rollers of the pasta machine to the thickest setting and roll the pasta through. Fold in 3, turn by 90 degrees and roll through again. Repeat a few more times, then reduce the rollers by 1 notch and roll through several times again. Repeat until you reach the second last setting – you will have a very long, thin pasta sheet. Set aside, dusted with flour, while you roll out the remaining pasta.
5. 5. Using a 7cm fluted cutter, cut out about 40 pasta circles. Put a small tablespoonful of filling in the centre of 1 pasta circle, brush around the edge with a little water and put another pasta circle on top. Press around to expel any air and seal. Repeat to make 20 ravioli.
6. 6. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook, in batches, in the boiling water for 3 minutes, or until the pasta floats to the top.
7. 7. Make the sauce. Heat the oil and butter in a large, deep frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the chestnuts and cook for 5 minutes. Season, add the pasta and carefully toss in the sauce, adding a little of the pasta’s cooking water, to loosen. Divide between plates and scatter with the sage and remaining cheese.

Nutritional info

Per serving: 861kcals, 48.3g fat (23.5g saturated), 28.6g protein, 83.9g carbs, 9.5g sugar, 1.2g salt

Chef's tip

Freeze: at the end of step 5. Open freeze the ravioli in 1 layer, then transfer to a box when frozen. Freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Wine Recommendation

A rich, ripe Sicilian Syrah would make a great match here.