Wednesday 7 November 2012

Peter Peter Pumpkin eater! Ravioli to die for!!






 With all of the pumpkin dessert recipes that have been televised and blogged about, I thought it was about time I feature a recipe that uses this incredible squash in a savory application. This ravioli has been  a favorite of mine - warm with the scent of toasted pecans, the mingling flavors of rosemary and sage; the perfect balance of flavors, all complimenting one another, in harmony. Sweet and savory hand-in-hand. I look forward to Fall every year when, it feels so good to make this delicious dish.



Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter Pecan Sauce



 Ingredients:
  • 1 can  15 ounce/425 g pumpkin puree or fresh which is far better
  • 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg 
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh pasta sheets or wonton wrappers
  • small bowl of water
  • pastry brush
  • fresh sage
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 handful of pecans, roughly chopped

Mix together the ricotta cheese, puree, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, salt & pepper.

Add a teaspoon of the pumpkin mixture to the center of a pasta square or wonton wrapper.



 Dip your pastry brush into the bowl of water and run it around the edge of the pasta square or wonton wrapper.  Place another wonton wrapper on top and seal with your fingers.  Make sure you have it sealed well or the squash may come out when you put them in boiling water. With the pasta, I find it easiest to use a fork to crimp the edges. Continue until you have as many as desired.

~At this point you may freeze them individually on a baking sheet, then pop them into a freezer bag for another time.
~If you can find pumpkin raviolis, you could just buy them if you prefer and make the sauce for a quick dish

When you are done making your ravioli, set them aside and get your large dutch oven filled with water and on high heat to boiling.



While you are waiting for the water to boil, make the sage, pecan brown butter sauce.

 Melt one stick of butter in a large sauce pan. (I double this, as Wee Bear just loves this sauce) You will need to keep close to it, to make sure your butter doesn’t scorch.  Let the butter cook and bubble until it starts to turn brown and smell nutty.  It should look like this…


 Once your butter browns, take it off the heat and add the sage and pecans.  The sage will start to sizzle.  This is a good thing! Set aside and drop your ravioli into the boiling water.
These take less than a minute to cook.  Once they float to the top, they are done. 


 Fish them out of the water with a slotted spoon and put them onto your plate.  Drizzle with the sage-pecan brown butter sauce, pour yourself a nice glass of wine and enjoy! Mmmmmmmm Sage and pumpkin go together like peanut butter and chocolate, perfect!

On the Rocks or served warm in a snifter, the "Autumn in Manhatten" is tasty no matter how or where you sip it!! Manhatten's are one of my favorite drinks in the Winter....I just love how it warms me right up on a cool evening. Wee Bear and his side of the family always pause waiting to hear, "What is she ordering this time"!




2 oz. apple spiced Hudson Baby bourbon (recipe below)
1/2 oz. orange liquor
1/2 oz. raw sugar syrup
2 oz. apple juice (your healthy part)
Ice cubes
Cherry, soaked in orange liquor, for garnish


Add all the ingredients except cherry to cocktail shaker. Shake for 10 seconds, then strain into a double old fashioned glass filled with ice. For a warm cocktail instead, add all ingredients except ice and cherry to cocktail shker. Shake 10 seconds, then pour into a saucepan and warm, bringing just to a simmer for 30 seconds. Pour into a pre-warmed, tempered snifter. Garnish with cherry. I love it warm, when it is  snowing!!


Apple Spiced Bourbon


375 ml. bottle of hudson Baby Bourbon
1 honeycrisp or Grannysmith apple, peeled
cored and sliced into 8 pieces
1 T honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika


Toss apple slices with honey and spices. Roast for 20 minutes at 350F. Add bourbon, cover, and allow to macerate in the refrigerator 2-3 days. Strain liquid and discard fruit( or save the fruit to warm and serve atop ice cream). Makes about 6 cocktails.
                                                                
                        
Thanksgiving is the time of year when we give thanks for all the things that we are thankful for. These range from little things that may be insignificant to others, but are of great importance to us personally, through to the larger things that we all give thanks for. Handmade cards, gifts, a basket of goodies, scrapbooks and other projects are a great way to share Thanksgiving thoughts with others. Whether it's a handmade card to tell someone how much you are thankful for their friendship or a scrapbook recording your personal thoughts this Thanksgiving, finding the right words and sentiments can be the perfect way to finish the project. And of course, attaching to some yummy pumpkin bread, tasty cookies or candy. I hope Sweet One and I can inspire you with something to add to your family and friends this Thanksgiving......

Stay tuned!


Cheers!
JJ
                                   

1 comment:

  1. The drinks are really good and perfect for T-day or Winter. thanks! CC

    ReplyDelete

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