Ravioli con Zucca Rosso

(Red Pumpkin Ravioli)

Ingredients:

Filling:

2 c. fresh Zucca rosso (red pumpkin), small dice (or you can use 1 c. canned pumpkin)

1 T. olive oil

½ c. Ricotta cheese

¼ c. Parmesan, grated

¼ c. Smoked provolone, grated 2 T. fresh basil, chiffonade

Pasta Dough:

1 c. flour

1 c. semolina flour

3 eggs

Egg wash:

One egg, beaten

Water

Directions:

Sauté pumpkin in olive oil until soft (if you are using canned pumpkin, you can eliminate this step). Stack basil leaves, roll and slice thinly into slivers. Combine all ingredients for filling and set aside while you make the pasta dough.

Using dough hook, combine all ingredients on low speed. Dough will be very sticky. Use disposable gloves to form dough into a ball and knead on flour-dusted surface until it is smooth. Cut a portion off with sharp knife. Dust with semolina flour and roll out pasta dough into a thin sheet using a rolling pin, pasta maker or pastry sheeter. Brush with egg wash. Place teaspoons of filling on dough at regular intervals. Place another sheet of pasta dough on top. Carefully, seal around the filling with your fingers. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the raviolis. Check seal again to remove any air bubbles. Pasta may be frozen on a cookie sheet and transferred to a zip loc bag for later use at this point. For service, boil gently in 4 quarts of salted water for 4-5 minutes or until they float. Recipe makes 30-40 pieces of ravioli, depending on size of cookie cutter. Can freeze any extra pasta dough that is not used. Serve with Sage Butter Sauce or Porcini Mushroom Sauce.

Sugo ai Quattro Funghi

(Four Mushroom Sauce)

Ingredients:

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 T. Olive Oil

8 oz. Shitake Mushrooms, sliced

1 large Portobello mushroom, diced

½ c. dried Porcini mushrooms, rehydrated & diced

8 oz. Button mushrooms, sliced

1 T. fresh thyme, chopped

1 T. fresh basil, chopped

½ c. chicken broth

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 scallions, sliced

Directions:

Sauté the garlic in a frying pan, add mushrooms and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add thyme, basil, and chicken broth and cook for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over ravioli. Garnish with scallions. Serves 6.