Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Sage Butter

It’s Fall and Halloween is just days away.  So what better way to celebrate the season than with pumpkin for dinner? Much less something so easy and delicious as this is!  This could honestly not be much easier or more delicious and satisfying.  By substituting wonton wrappers for the pasta, and using canned pumpkin puree for the filling, and topping the whole thing off with a delicious nutty tasting browned butter sage sauce, you can have this elegant and really yummy dinner ready in a flash.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Sage Butter
(adapted from blog.Williams-Sonoma.com)

For the filling:
1 can pumpkin puree* (you could also use cooked butternut squash or sweet potato )
1 shallot minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, yolk and white separated
2 Tbs. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1 to 2 Tbs. dried bread crumbs
Wonton wrappers

Place the pumpkin puree in a bowl. Melt the butter in a pan and lightly sauce the minced shallot until it is soft.  Add the shallot to the pumpkin puree along with the egg yolk, parmesan cheese, sugar, nutmeg and salt.  Stir well to combine.  Add bread crumbs to bind the filling together if it seems a little runny.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Put the egg white in a bowl and beat it with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of each wrapper with the beaten egg white. Place a heaping teaspoon of the pumpkin filling in the middle of each wrapper. Top each with another wrapper, pressing firmly to seal the edges and making sure to press out any air bubbles.

Lower the heat under the boiling water and bring it to a simmer.  Place the ravioli, 6 at a time, into the simmering water and cook for about 4 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and  place on a buttered baking dish in a warm oven (about 200 degrees) while you cook the remaining ravioli.

For the sauce:
1 stick of butter
a bunch of fresh sage leaves
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the sage leaves. Cook until the sage leaves are crispy and the butter is brown, this should take about about 3 – 5 minutes. Carefully add the ravioli to the pan, 6 at a time, and turn gently to coat with the brown butter. Transfer the ravioli to each dinner plate. Top with the remaining butter and sage leaves in the pan, sprinkle with the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Add a fresh green salad and some crusty French bread and “dinner is served”!