Pumpkin Ravioli with Butter Sage Sauce & a Fall Harvest Salad
If there was one thing I’ve been set on this month, it’s having a full fledged Fall dinner at our house. Savory, full of Fall flavors, worthy of a festive table setting, & the perfect pre-game to an October scary movie night. & this month I’ve been inspired by one of my cooking idols, the Pioneer Woman, & using her ingenuity to turn wonton wrappers into raviolis to make my very best dinner creation of the month: Pumpkin Raviolis with Butter-Sage Sauce & a Fall Harvest Salad. A perfect Fall dinner full of seasonal root veggies, and recipe that I’m certain will stand the test of time in the Zehner house.
Date-nights are harder to come around, particularly those at home date-nights where a fun & thoughtful home cooked meal is at the center of it all, and that’s because nights at home aren’t 7 days a week anymore. What I’ve learned (particularly this month) is setting myself up for success means being realistic - tailoring my evenings sans late night bartending around creating an at home meal that I can dive into opposed to trying to find time in the kitchen everyday. It’s equated to fulfilling my need to be in the kitchen & create something special for a cozy night in. Cooking remains the activity that rejuvenates me, & being realistic by planning a couple of quality at-home nights each week is helping me to stay grounded & stay connected to the at-home environment that I love so much during what I’m still considering our work-life transition period.
& this week, holy fuck - the positive vibes of this night at home carried me through the lows that came thereafter. I’m really making an effort to focus on my own happiness, and give myself little reminders that my happiness, and the happiness that exists within my home (which is truly the thing I cherish most) isn’t the result of other people’s opinions or vibes or (frankly) their bull shit. & let me tell you - it’s a life reminder that has been very helpful as of late. The in-laws were in town, who I love to see, but one of them is having a freaking conniption about upcoming nuptials, and it was probably the most dramatic evening I’ve experienced with this side of the fam. Like have you ever had moments where you take a fly on the wall position during an ongoing conversation because it’s awkward, and people are expressing opinions that you can’t get onboard with, and you just can’t with the “pity me” mentality? That was 100% me this weekend. Note to self - planning a destination wedding that costs your guests $6500 a couple to attend, and then putting stock in the “if they actually care about me, they’ll come” mentality is truly a recipe for disaster. As a married human, something I want for all of my closest friends is for them to have a wedding that is truly special, but you’ve got to know that if you’re putting unrealistic expectations on your wedding it’s going to spell disappointment & no number of tantrums is going to turn it around. I literally cannot, & learning that I am one of the select individuals who is essentially proving my love & commitment via this very situation was a real treat for my Saturday night.
However, the highlight on this night of a thousand meltdowns was telling everyone about this ravioli dinner we had at our house, and essentially diverting from a not so fun topic while informing them that you can make raviolis out of wonton wrappers. A revelation that is worth sharing! & it’s actually such a fun way to use them. The key to success - press hard & use plenty of egg wash during the sealing process to make sure they don’t burst & lose their ravioli-ness during the cooking process.
The cooking process is super simple - spend 5 minutes cooking the filling (you’re essentially just warming it up), seal them up in wontons, & drop in boiling water. The whole dropping in boiling water bit is where you run the risk of seeing these guys explode. & truth be told, I lost a couple in the boiling water - the wonton opens up, the filling sort of disintegrates into the boiling water, and you’re left with soggy & flavor less wonton wrappers that aren’t the funnest to eat. So press hard, and don’t be shy with the egg wash to secure a tight seal, and you’ll have a successful cook!
This recipe is what I’d call Asian-Italian fusion done right. The wonton wrappers really are a perfect pseudo pasta - it’s light, has similar texture, and effectively takes on the flavor of whatever you’re cooking it with. In this case, the flavor heavily comes from the filling, which is garlicky, a little spicy thanks to a sprinkle of red pepper, and definitely pumpkin-y. The sauce is simple - browned butter with fresh sage. Decadent and rich, so you don’t need a ton, but it’s a buttery sauce that really makes the thing feel kinda fancy.
A cold and crisp salad just kind of makes the dinner feel complete. Roasted butternut squash + crunchy greens + a sweet honey mustard dressing is one of my favorite fall salads. Butternut squash tossed in just a bit of olive oil and seasoned with pumpkin pie spice is always perfect. The squash is buttery and kind of melts in your mouth when it’s roasted and tender, and the sweet & vinegary dressing ties it all together perfectly. This Fall salad included a few slices of red onion & a sprinkle of chopped cashews for a little extra something-something. The sliced salami added a nice salty, savory bite, but can totally be left out for a truly meatless meal.
For the Pumpkin Raviolis
1 stick of butter
2-3 garlic cloves
1-can of pumpkin puree
pinch of red pepper
salt & pepper
small wonton wrappers
10-12 sage leaves
For the salad
about 2 cups of butternut squash (12 ounces), cut into bite size cubes
4 tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (sub nutmeg + cinnamon in its place)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Dijon
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
about 12 slices of salami, sliced into matchsticks
1/4 of a red onion, thinly slices
2 tbsp cashews, roughly chopped
salt & pepper
Start by placing 2 tbsp of butter in a medium pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add in the garlic and let it cook for about two minutes. Add in the pumpkin, red pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir the pumpkin and seasoning together, let the mixture cook for about 5 minutes (it should begin to bubble), and turn off the heat.
Meanwhile, prep the salad. Turn the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the squash in about 2 tbsp of EVOO, the pumpkin spice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let them roast for 45 minutes. To make the dressing, add the honey, Dijon, vinegar, and remaining EVOO to a mason jar with a lid, shake vigorously, and set in the fridge. Assemble the salad by placing the lettuce, onion, and salami on a serving tray, and setting aside in the fridge while the squash cooks.
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring it to a boil.
Place the remainder of the butter in a small sauté pan over medium high heat. Let the butter melt & then bubble for about 2 minutes, watching it carefully so it doesn’t burn. Once it begins to take on a toasty brown color, throw in the sage (it’ll fry up), let it cook an additional 30 seconds, and turn the heat to low.
Meanwhile, set up your ravioli assembly station on a large cutting board - unwrap the ravioli wrappers, bring over the pumpkin mixture, and prep your egg wash in a ramekin. Assemble the raviolis by placing about a tbsp of filling in the center of the wonton wrapper. Using a brush or your finger, paint egg wash along the edges of the wonton wrappers. Fold on the diagonal (see photos for example), and press the edges together firmly. Repeat this process until all the filling has been used. Drop about 3-4 raviolis in the boiling water at a time, letting them cook for 1-2 minutes, and then placing on a serving tray. Spoon the butter sauce, sage & all, over the raviolis. Place in the oven turned to low heat to keep warm.
Remove the butternut squash from the oven. Spoon the butternut squash over the prepared salad. Finish by sprinkling the cashews over the top, and drizzling the dressing on the salad. Remove the tray of raviolis from the oven, and eat up.
