Homemade pumpkin ravioli

Ingredients:

Ravioli

• 500 g fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
• 150 g unsalted butter
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, plus 6 small leaves for garnish
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten, for brushing the dough
• Semolina
• Spinach pasta dough or regular pasta dough, see recipe below
• 2 cups chicken broth or light duck broth for poaching, see recipe below
• 2 shallots, chopped

Spinach Pasta Dough

• 250 g fresh spinach (about 1 bunch)
• 1.5 cups semolina flour
• 1.5 cups premium wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil

Regular pasta dough

• 1.5 cups semolina flour
• 1.5 cups premium wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil

Chicken broth

• Bones from two chickens, chopped into pieces
• 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 small onion, cut into quarters
• 1 small stalk of celery, chopped
• Stems of 1 bunch of parsley
• 3 - 4 green leeks, chopped (optional)
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 pinch dried thyme
• Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 4 liters of water, approximately

Preparation:

1. Pumpkin filling for ravioli
   
   Heat a frying pan to medium heat and add 60g of butter. When the butter begins to foam, add the pumpkin cubes and cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until softened.
   
   Place the pumpkin in a saucepan, add half the cream and herbs, and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour, or until the puree is thick and the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from heat and add another 30g of butter. Add the eggs, season with salt and pepper to taste, and let the filling cool.
2. Pumpkin ravioli
   
   On a floured work surface, roll out the dough as thinly as possible. Cut into 2 layers and spread the egg mixture on one of them. Using a teaspoon, spoon 24 equal mounds of pumpkin filling onto the dough, spacing them about 5 cm apart. Cover the filling with the second layer of dough and press around the filling to seal the edges of the ravioli.
   
   Using a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into squares. Sprinkle a tray with semolina and arrange the ravioli on it.
   
   Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you make the sauce.
   
   Drop the ravioli into boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Pour the sauce over the ravioli and bring to a simmer. Adjust the flavor.
3. Divide the ravioli among preheated soup bowls and ladle the sauce over them. Garnish each serving with a fresh sage leaf. Serve immediately.
   
   Recipe pumpkin ravioli with sage butter.
   
   Creamy sauce for ravioliIn a saucepan, reduce the shallot broth to half a cup. Add the remaining cream and continue reducing until reduced by half. Over low heat, stir in the remaining 60 grams of butter. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and add the remaining sage and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
   Alternatively, you can make a simple but delicious sauce using unsalted butter, chopped fresh sage and a little grated Parmesan.
   
   Spinach pasta dough
   
   Gently rinse the spinach, changing 2 or 3 waters. Trim off 2.5 cm of the stems. Chop the leaves and place them in a towel or napkin. Squeeze the juice into a measuring cup. (Use a towel or napkin that you only use for this purpose, as spinach juice will stain the fabric.) You should have about 1/4 cup of juice. Stir 2 tablespoons of spinach puree into the spinach juice. Use the remaining puree in other recipes.
   
   In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. With the motor running, add the eggs, olive oil, and enough spinach through the hole in the lid. Process until the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
   
   Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll them out into thin sheets, one at a time. While you're working with one piece, keep the remaining dough on a tray dusted with semolina, covered with a towel to prevent it from drying out.
   
   Regular pasta dough
   
   Place the flour in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the salt, eggs, and olive oil. Process until the dough begins to gather around the blade (about 1-2 minutes).
   
   Remove the dough from the food processor and form it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before rolling and cutting. (Rolling the dough by hand is very tedious; using a small pasta machine and a cutting attachment will save you time and produce a much more uniform product.)
   
   Note: You can make the pasta by hand or in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. For either method, first combine the dry ingredients, make a well in the center, add the wet ingredients, and slowly mix until well combined. Wrap in plastic wrap.
   
   Chicken broth
   
   Place the chicken bones in a saucepan, then add all the remaining ingredients except water. Pour in water to cover the ingredients by 2 inches (5 cm), bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
   
   Strain the broth into a clean saucepan and discard excess fat. Bring to a boil and reduce the broth to 2 liters.
   
   Use the broth immediately or let it cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator or freeze.