Starters and Sides Made Easy: Winter Squash Ravioli
Recipe Excerpt from Starters & Sides Made Easy
Who doesn’t love a good main course? But why should main courses get all the attention? For any meal to truly shine with creativity, elegance, or just plain fun, it needs a good opening act and side kick. This fall a new cookbook delivers 60 easy-to-make kosher recipes that focuses the spotlight on meal co-stars. Starters & Sides Made Easy by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek puts the “wow” into side dishes and appetizers.
Yields 36 raviolis
Ingredients for Ravioli
1 (2½ lbs) narrow butternut squash
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 Tbsp salt 36 (3-inch) ravioli rounds
oil, for toasting
Ingredients for Herb Sauce
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup minced garlic cloves (10-12 cloves)
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
Directions
1. Prepare the ravioli: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place butternut squash into a baking pan and bake for 60-80 minutes, rotating halfway through (a thick squash may need more time). Squash should be completely soft. Let cool completely. Discard peel and seeds and add the butternut squash flesh to a medium bowl.
2. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
3. Add onions and salt to the butternut squash. Using an immersion blender, blend until completely smooth.
4. Place a teaspoon of squash onto each ravioli round. Fold in half and seal tightly closed, then pinch the two edges together (see photo). Reserve any remaining squash purée.
5. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add ravioli in batches and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside.
6. Prepare the herb sauce: Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme, and parsley. Cook until garlic is golden, 1-2 minutes. Toss with raviolis.
7. To serve, spoon some reserved purée onto each dish; top with raviolis. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley (optional). To make a smoother purée, press squash through a wire strainer or sieve.
