I love the browned butter and sage combination with pumpkin and it is seasonally ideal, because the pumpkin and sage are ready in the garden at the same time.
Butternut Cappellacci
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
500g butternut pumpkin, halved, seeds discarded
2 tsp olive oil
80g finely grated parmesan
2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pasta dough (see recipe below)
BROWNED BUTTER and SAGE SAUCE
80g butter
Handful of sage leaves (about 20, or more)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced.
Brush the cut side of the pumpkin with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place in a roasting pan cut-side down and cook for about 40 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender and the skin is soft.
Set aside to cool, then remove the skin.
Mash the pumpkin in a bowl with the parmesan, breadcrumbs and nutmeg. Season to taste.
Roll the dough as directed below, finishing at the second last setting. Cut the dough into 7cm squares.
Place a little pumpkin filling into the centre of each square.
Moisten the edges with water then fold over to form a triangle.
Press the dough together around the filling and try to avoid any trapped air bubbles.
Bring the two furthest corner points together and press together to create a little ring.
Place on a floured tray until you are ready.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
Cook in batches for two to three minutes, until al dente.
While they are cooking, to make the sauce, heat the butter in a large pan, until melted and starting to brown slightly. Add the sage leaves and cook until crisp. Stir in the lemon juice.
Add the cooked cappellacci and gently toss together. Serve immediately.
Pasta
SERVES 6
The thing about pasta, in my family at least, is that it is the number one
way to eat less meat. They truly don’t seem to notice when I’ve combined fresh homemade pasta with garden goodies, such as peas and parmesan or tomato and anchovy, or even something as simple as basil pesto tossed through with a little cracked pepper on top.
INGREDIENTS
4 cups (600g) 00 flour (or all-purpose)
5 eggs
½ tbsp olive oil
METHOD
Place the flour into a mound on the bench and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs and the olive oil.
Using a fork (or by hand) slowly start to mix the eggs and the oil, incorporating the flour on the inside of the mound as you go.
The dough will slowly start to come together.
Once the flour has all been incorporated, start kneading the dough with the heel of your hand. If it is sticky, add a little flour to the bench and continue to knead for a good 10 minutes.
The dough should be soft, elastic and just a little sticky.
Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into eight pieces.
Shape one piece into a rough rectangular shape and dust generously with flour.
Starting on the widest setting of the rollers on the pasta machine, feed the dough through.
Fold into thirds and feed it through again the other way (starting at the shortest side). Do this a couple of times, dusting with flour as necessary.
Change to the next setting on the pasta machine and roll the dough through. Change to the next setting and roll again, without folding.
Keep rolling, reducing the setting each time and finishing at your desired thickness (it will depend on how you are going to use the pasta).
Repeat with the remaining dough and cut into desired shapes.
Recipes extracted from Nostrana by Bri DiMattina.
Published by HarperCollins.
RRP $55.
