Butternut Squash and Thyme Ravioli

Butternut squash and thyme ravioli is a real autumn treat. Here we combine two great flavours of squash and herb together to produce a satisfying Italian dish. 

If you want to try our other fillings with ravioli or tortellini which is the other great alternative then check out our recipe page.

Serves 2. Preparation takes one hour, plus resting. Cook: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

Ravioli

• 250g peeled and deseeded butternut squash, cut into 2cm chunks.
• one tablespoon olive oil
•  half a red onion, finally sliced
• two garlic cloves, unpeeled
• small handful of thyme sprigs
• 200g superfine 00 grade pasta flour
• two large eggs
• 25g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
• semolina or plain flour, for dusting

Brown Butter

• 50g unsalted butter 1
• 5g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• one tablespoon lemon juice
• three- four thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• 15g Parmigiano Reggiano, for shaving

Preparation:

1. Pre heat the oven to 200 centigrade, gas mark 6.
2. Put the squash in a roasting tin, drizzle over the oil, season and toss. Roast for 30 minutes, then toss in the onion, garlic and thyme. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender.
3. Meanwhile, put the flour and eggs in a food processor with a pinch of salt. Blitz until it forms a coarse crumb. Take a little of the crumb between your fingertips and work into a dough. It should come together easily and feel firm and a little tacky. If it is stiff and dry, add a little beaten egg or water; if it is  soft and sticky, add a little flour.
4. Tip onto a work surface and knead into a dough. Keep kneading for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Wrap in parchment and put in a plastic bag. Leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes but up to four hours.
5. Transfer the cooked squash and onion to the small bowl of a food processor and discard the thyme stalks. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and add to the bowl along with the cheese, alternatively, put in a small bowl and use a hand blender. Whiz to a puree, then set aside to cool.
6. Dust a large tray with semolina or plain flour. Cut the pasta dough in half and cover half of it with parchment. Roll out the other half very thinly, either with a rolling pin. It will be easier if you don’t flour the work surface, or use a machine gradually working to the thinnest setting. Once rolled out, you should be able to just see through the pasta. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Use an 8 centimetre cookie cutter to mark 12 circles on one pasta sheet, without cutting through the dough. Put one teaspoon of squash puree in the centre of each circle, then brush a little water around the edges. Lift the second sheet of pasta and drape it over the first, carefully smoothing the pasta around the filling and using your fingertips to remove air bubbles, then stick the sheets together. Use the same cutter to cut out the ravioli, then space out on the prepared tray.
7. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the ravioli and cook for three to five minutes until al dente. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan with the hazelnuts over a medium to high heat for two to three minutes, until the butter browns. Take off the heat, then add the lemon juice; season well. Drain the ravioli, then divide between two warm pasta bowls. Drizzle over the nutty butter, and sprinkle over the time. Shave over the cheese and serve.