Ravioli-candies with pumpkin and chestnuts
6 servings
180 minutes
Pumpkin and chestnut ravioli-candies are an exquisite dish of Italian cuisine that combines pasta traditions with culinary creativity. Legend has it that the unusual shape is inspired by sweets, creating a festive feeling in each serving. Tender pumpkin baked with ricotta and spices reveals sweetness and warm autumn flavor tones, while chestnuts and sage add nutty depth and spicy freshness. The spinach-enriched dough provides elasticity and rich color, while the creamy-citrus sauce with clementine completes the picture, offering softness and a light tanginess. These ravioli not only delight the taste but also create a cozy atmosphere, perfect for leisurely dinners with loved ones.
1
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (gas mark 4).
2
To prepare the filling, wash the pumpkin, carefully cut it in half and remove the seeds, then cut into eight large wedges and place on a large baking tray.
- Butternut squash: 1.2 kg
3
Add all the ricotta, sprinkle with chili flakes and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then grate half a nutmeg. Drizzle with oil and gently mix. Bake for 1 hour.
- Ricotta cheese: 250 g
- Chili pepper flakes: 0.5 teaspoon
- Nutmeg: to taste
- Olive oil: 30 ml
4
Crush the chestnuts, chop the sage leaves, sauté both in a small amount of oil, then place on a baking sheet with the pumpkin. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and golden, and the ricotta has a rough appearance.
- Chestnuts: 200 g
- Sage: 15 g
5
Grate the parmesan finely, season the contents of the baking tray, and mash everything together until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Leave to cool completely.
- Baby spinach: 75 g
- Egg yolk: 12 pieces
6
To prepare the pasta dough, blend spinach and egg yolks in a food processor before adding dry ingredients. Add flour, semolina, and extra virgin olive oil, knead into a firm dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Fine flour: 400 g
- Semolina flour: 75 g
- Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tablespoons
7
Divide the pasta dough in half, leaving one half for another day. Cut the remaining piece in half and roll it out to sheets 2 mm thick - use a pasta machine or do it manually with a rolling pin.
8
Cut the dough into rectangles measuring 15x12 cm. Place 2 tablespoons of filling along the bottom edge of each, leaving 1.5 cm at each end.
9
Brush the dough with a wet brush, then roll it up and pinch the sides to shape it like a candy.
10
Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling to make a total of 24 candies. During preparation, transfer to paper sprinkled with semolina.
11
For the sauce, melt butter in a large pan, then when it foams and starts to darken, squeeze in clementine juice and whisk to create a creamy-butter sauce. Season with pepper and simmer on very low heat until the sauce is needed.
- Butter: 100 g
- Clementines: 4 pieces
12
Boil the ravioli in a large pot of salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then transfer them to a buttery sauce and drizzle with the cooking water. Cook in batches (the first can sit in the sauce while the others cook).
13
Before serving, sprinkle with grated nutmeg, parmesan, and toasted chopped almonds.
- Nutmeg: to taste
- Almond: 50 g