For a hint of sweetness and added texture, add a tablespoon of crushed amaretti to the filling, folding it in at the end. Toss these ravioli with melted or browned butter and a chiffonade of sage, and garnish with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. Follow the instructions here to make ravioli with other fillings (below); each variation makes enough for 4 dozen ravioli, and can be served with butter and cheese or Marinara Sauce (page 381). Any of these fillings can also be used for the other filled pasta shapes, including agnolotti (page 370); halve the recipes for tortellini (page 370) and make one and a half times the amount for tortelloni (page 371).
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
RICOTTA FILLING
SPINACH AND CHEESE FILLING
DUCK CONFIT FILLING
Preparation
Step 1
Roast squash Heat oven to 400°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet evenly with the oil. Season cut side of squash with salt and pepper; set squash cut side down on baking sheet. Roast until tender and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 2
Mix filling Scoop flesh from squash. Measure out 1 1/4 cups (save remaining for another use). Place half the squash in a bowl. Combine the rest in a food processor with the egg yolk and Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth, then add this mixture to the reserved squash along with the ricotta, and gently fold to combine. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.
Step 3
Fill and shape pasta Follow directions on page 365 to form ravioli. If not cooking the ravioli right away, freeze them on a baking sheet (covered with plastic wrap) until firm, then store in a resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 2 months. Frozen ravioli will take 4 to 5 minutes to cook; no need to thaw first.
Step 4
Boil ravioli Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a generous amount of salt. Working in batches, boil ravioli until they float to the top, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, shaking off excess water.
Step 5
Serve Toss ravioli gently with butter. Divide among plates and serve immediately, topped with Parmesan shavings and sage.
RICOTTA FILLING
Step 6
FOLD TOGETHER the cheeses and egg yolk and season with salt and pepper.
Step 7
Proceed with recipe above.
SPINACH AND CHEESE FILLING
Step 8
PREPARE AN ICE-WATER bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt generously and cook spinach until tender and bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well, then let cool and thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Finely chop spinach; you should have about 3/4 cup. Combine spinach, cheeses, and thyme in a bowl. Stir in egg yolk and nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. Proceed with ravioli recipe on page 373.
DUCK CONFIT FILLING
Step 9
HEAT THE OIL in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are golden brown and softened (reduce heat if browning too quickly), 15 minutes. Deglaze the pan with sherry, stirring up browned bits from bottom of pan and cooking until completely evaporated. Fold duck into shallot mixture, then remove from heat and let cool completely. Mix in egg yolks to combine, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 4 hours. Proceed with ravioli recipe on page 373.
