Homemade Butternut Squash Raviolis with a Garlic Cream Sauce

For the pasta:
Mound the flour on a clean work surface, like a large cutting board or counter. Using a fork, create a well in the middle of the flour – make the well with high sides.

Crack the eggs into the well. Add in salt and oil. Using a fork, beat the eggs and slowly incorporate the flour by pulling it in from the sides of the well. As you continue to pull more flour and mix, the dough will start coming together.

Using your hands, a fork or a bench scraper, work the dough until it comes together. Add more flour if it is sticky, add a few splashes of water if it is too dry.

Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes or so.

In the meantime, make the filling. Place cubed squash into a large pot with the chicken stock. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer until squash is soft (test it with a fork). Drain.

While squash is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until tender, 7 minutes. Reduce heat and add in garlic. Cook 1 minute and remove skillet from heat.

Place cooked squash, onions, garlic, and remaining filling ingredients into a food processor. Puree. Store in refrigerator until ready to fill raviolis.

When you are ready to assemble the ravioli… Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour and set aside.

Unwrap pasta dough and cut it into four sections. You will work with one section at a time. Wrap the remaining three up in plastic in the meantime.

Flour your work surface liberally. Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin, working from the middle and rolling out. Try to get the thinnest and longest piece of dough you can. Keep rotating and turning the dough to prevent sticking.

Once your dough is rolled very thinly, down one side of the dough rectangle place small amounts of the filling {about a teaspoon} onto the dough about 1 1/2-2 inches apart. {Your filling amount and spacing will depend on how large or small your ravioli stamp is! Try your best not to overfill! It might take a few tries to figure out the perfect amount.} Fold the other half of the dough over the side with the filling. Press the top piece of dough over and around the filling to remove any air bubbles. Press your ravioli stamp in flour and then press down firmly to cut out raviolis. Place on the prepared floured tray. Form the leftover dough into a ball and place in the plastic wrap to rest. Continue this pattern with the other pieces of dough and the rest of the filling until all the raviolis are filled and cut out.

At this point you can place your trays of raviolis in the freezer for 24 hours and then transfer to plastic freezer bags for a quick meal later.

To cook, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop in your raviolis and stir gently. Raviolis will be finished cooking once they float to the top. Then drain the raviolis and empty the water and pour the raviolis back into the hot pot. Place on the warm burner. {You don’t need the burner on!}

To make a simple garlic cream sauce*, melt some butter in with the hot raviolis {still in the same pot you used to cook them in}. Grate in a little garlic, a splash of cream, some grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir for a minute or two or until sauce thickens slightly. Serve immediately.

*This amount of sauce is good for about 12 raviolis. Adjust the recipe accordingly!