butternut squash and goat cheese ravioli with sage browned butter

On that fateful homecoming from visiting my in-laws for Thanksgiving, this is what I’d planned to have for dinner. The ravioli were already filled and formed in the freezer, just requiring a quick drop in simmering water and a trip through a skillet of butter. But coming home to disaster made even that seem overwhelming; instead, we ate toppingless chili from the freezer in between shop-vaccing up buckets of water.

These are still in the freezer, and at least that’s one advantage of this mess. Actually, my freezer is stuffed to the brim now. In the absence of any other outlet for that stereotypical late pregnancy nesting urge, I cooked. I cooked until the freezer in the rental house was overflowing, then I transferred some meals to our home freezer, and cooked some more.

We’ve moved back home now, but there’s plenty of work to do before the house is back to normal. I have a feeling I’ll be very, very grateful to have a freezer full of food once I have a newborn on top of a million house chores. This meal, combining some of my favorite ingredients, will be saved for something special – maybe the day we get doors installed.

Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, and Pancetta Ravioli with Sage Browned Butter

Serves 8 as a first course or 4 as a main course

I made my pasta using this method and the following ingredients: 5 ounces flour, pinch salt, 1 egg, 2 egg yolks, and ½ teaspoon olive oil.

6 ounces pancetta, diced into ¼-inch cubes
1 onion, diced fine
salt
1 small butternut squash, peeled, diced into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
5 ounces goat cheese
pinch nutmeg
2 ounces (1 cup) grated parmesan
8 ounces fresh pasta, rolled to the second-to-last setting on a pasta roller
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 sage leaves, sliced

1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the pancetta until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Drain the fat in the pan into a small bowl. Transfer 1 tablespoon of fat back to the pan and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned around the edges, about 8 minutes. Transfer the onions to the bowl with the pancetta. Add another 1 tablespoon reserved pancetta fat to the pan; add the squash. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Use a potato masher to lightly mash the squash, then transfer it to the bowl with the onions and pancetta. Add the thyme, goat cheese, nutmeg, parmesan, and additional salt to taste to the bowl; stir to combine.

2. Place one rounded tablespoon of filling every 2 inches along the length of a pasta sheet. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wet the pasta along the long edges and between the filling. Fold the pasta sheet lengthwise over the filling, pressing around each ball of filling to seal the two layers of pasta together. Use a pizza cutter to cut between the filling to form squares of ravioli. Store the ravioli on a dry dish towel. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. (Ravioli can be formed several hours in advance and covered and refrigerated or can be flash-frozen, then transferred to freezer bags and frozen for several weeks. Do not defrost before cooking.)

3. In a large skillet, brown the butter with sage and a generous pinch of salt. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a tablespoon of salt and lower the heat until the water is at a lively simmer. Boil the ravioli in small batches for about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ravioli from the cooking water to the butter; simmer and shake over medium-high heat until the ravioli are evenly coated. Serve immediately, with additional parmesan if desired.