Pansotti of Pumpkin with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

4 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
5 whole eggs
1 egg yolk

2 ½ lbs. pumpkin or butternut squash
1 ½ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. pepper

1 cup butter, softened
1 bunch fresh sage, 1 tbsp. finely chopped, the remaining leaves left whole
¼ cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 450°.

Mix 3 cups of the flour and half the salt together on a large work surface.  Make a well in the center and put in the 5 whole eggs.  Mix to form a soft dough and knead for one minute.  Wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast in oven 30 minutes or until soft.  Scoop flesh out of skins and puree in a food processor with the egg yolk, half the parmesan, nutmeg, pepper, remaining salt and chopped sage.  Mix well.

Divide the dough into pieces the size of a lemon.  Using a pasta machine, stretch the dough to the next to thinnest setting on the machine.  Lay the dough out flat on a long surface and cut it in half.  Line the two sheets up next to each other.  Place a ¼ cup of the filling 1 ½ inches from the end of one pasta sheet.  Continue placing filling 3 inches apart until you run out of pasta.  Using a pastry brush and water, lightly brush the pastry in between the filling and on the top and bottom.  Gently place the second piece of pasta over the filling, being careful to press the dough closely around the filling, so there are no air bubbles.  Using a fluted pasta wheel cut the pasta into pansotti or large rectangles.  Repeat with remaining filling and pasta dough.

In a small saucepan, heat the canola oil over high heat.  Drop half the sage leaves in hot oil and cook 30 seconds or until the leaves begin to turn colors, remove and drain on paper towels, set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the remaining sage leaves.  Turn burner off.

Heat water to a boil in a large skillet.  Add a generous pinch of salt.  Cook the pasta for 2 to 4 minutes or until the pasta is tender when pierced with your nail.  Gently remove pansotti and place in skillet with butter sauce.  Turn the sauce on over high heat and gently cook until the butter begins to turn brown.

Gently remove from butter and place in one of 8 shallow bowls, spoon butter sauce over top, garnish with remaining parmesan and fried sage.  Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

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