Pumpkin Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce

Pumpkin Everywhere!   If you've never cooked with fresh pumpkin, it is time to try it.  I've seen an abundance of sugar pie pumpkins this year so I grabbed one and turned it into two successful recipes to date.  One of which was enjoyed for last night's supper club: Pumpkin Ravioli with Alfredo sauce. 

To start, you'll need to slice the pumpkin into manageable wedges.  Scrape out the pumpkin seeds and don't even think of tossing them, they make a delicious treat all on their own.  In an oven at 350°, roast the pumpkin wedges with a sprinkle of brown sugar for about 15-20 minutes or until brown and slightly caramelized on top. Let it cool so you can handle easily.

Here's the recipe for the ravioli filling:
2 cups pumpkin
1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1/4 cup Pancetta diced & sautéed until browned
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

All ingredients go into a mixing bowl and are combined with a spoon or spatula until fully incorporated.

Now the fun part - stuffing the wrappers! Usually near the refrigerated soy products in your grocery store, you can find wonton wrappers.  I used the brand pictured below last night and they were just the right thickness.  On a clean surface, layout individual wonton wrappers in a row.  Scoop a small amount (about 1/2 tsp to full tsp), onto the center of each wrapper (a small cookie dough scoop works really well for this step).  Next, wet your pointer finger in a bit of water and trace you finger over the outer edge of the entire wrapper. Fold the wrapper over from corner to corner to form a triangle, the water will act as a glue. Push down slightly around the filling to try and remove as much air as possible and press the edges to form a seal.  Finally, bring the bottom two corners together to form an envelop shaped ravioli.  Transfer to a cookie sheet for holding.

Once all ravioli are stuffed (this recipe makes 48 ravioli with a little filling leftover), they can either be transferred to the freezer or cooked immediately in salted boiling water (ravioli will float when cooked through).  If freezing, freeze in a single layer on the cookie sheet so that the ravioli do not touch. This will prevent them from sticking together.  Once frozen, they can be transferred to a plastic ziploc for freezer storage.

Alfredo Sauce:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 & 1/4 cups Parmesan-Reggiano
Salt & Pepper
Parsley to finish

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over low to medium heat.  Add cream and combine with whisk.  Let simmer for about 3 minutes and add cheese, whisking to blend.  Keep temperature on low and when ready to serve, add salt and pepper to taste and chopped parsley. 

Unfortunately, my pictures were deleted but trust me when I say that this is a seasonal favorite that will be a big hit!