Butternut Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

I know butternut squash isn't exactly the kind of squash most people think about eating during the summer, but the Husband and I were looking through the Cook This, Not That: Kitchen Survival Guide that offers healthy alternative recipes to very fattening dishes that you'd get at a restaurant, and came across this recipe.  Hubby heard Ravioli and that's all it took. I knew what I was making for dinner!

This recipe is what the book offers in lieu of Romano Macaroni Grill's Mushroom Ravioli, which per serving contains 790 calories and 44 grams of fat.  This make at home take on this pasta dish contains only 450 calories and 14 grams of fat.


Instead of pasta, this recipe calls for using wonton wrappers. The wonton wrappers actually worked very well in place of typical pasta. 

I can't lie though, this isn't the quickest of recipes. At least for me it wasn't.  The actual cooking is quick, but it took me awhile to assemble all of the raviolis.  Part of that might be because I added an additional step and decided to crimp all of the edges with a fork. Reasoning for that being, one, to make darn sure the filling was sealed in, and two, to give it more of a traditional ravioli look.

The extra time was worth it though, because these turned out to be delicious. The Husband was a huge fan - which is saying a lot, considering these do not contain meat.

I was not able to find canned butternut squash, and I didn't want to use pumpkin, so I just purchased a whole butternut squash and made my own puree. I did this by peeling the squash, cutting it into 1 inch cubes and boiling it for about 7-8 minutes (until easily mashed with a fork).  Then I used a whisk to mash it up. And voila, there is your butternut squash puree.

Butternut Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

1 can (16 oz) butternut squash or pumpkin puree
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 tbsp grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
salt & black pepper, to taste
48 wonton wrappers
1-2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 tbsp butter
16 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Mix the squash, vinegar, nutmeg and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Working on a clean, floured surface, lay down a single wonton wrapper and place a small spoonful of the squash mixture in the center, being careful not to over stuff.  Paint the edges of the wrapper with the egg white, the top with another wrapper.  Press firmly around the edges with your fingers to secure the filling inside the ravioli.  Repeat the process to create 24 ravioli.

Salt the boiling water and turn the heat down to medium so that its gently boiling.  Carefully drop in the ravioli and cook for 3 minutes, then drain.

In the meantime, heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat and add the butter & sage.  Cook until the butter is lightly brown and begins to give off a nutty aroma. Do this carefully, as you don't want the butter to burn.

Add the cooked ravioli to the pan , tossing gently to make sure they don't break.  Divide among 4 warm plates and garnish with Parmesan and sage.