Inside-Out Squash Ravioli Pasta
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Author Notes: This pasta takes advantage of one of the only breeds of winter squash that's individually sized: the delicata. It's rich, but not as rich as it tastes, ad it reminds me of good squash or pumpkin ravioli in which the filling has escaped the pasta to become its sauce. In a pinch, you can substitute about 3/4 of a cup of canned pumpkin for the squash. In the interest of full disclosure, I should note here that my preferred activity while eating alone is to read cookbooks and dream of future meals. - SmallKitchCara
Serves 1
- 1 small delicata squash
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup low-fat or whole milk
- 1-2 tablespoon heavy cream
- 2-3 ounces pasta (I like whole wheat gobbetti, but use your favorite)
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
- freshly ground pepper
- Bring about an inch of water to the boil in a large stockpot. Cut the squash into large wedges and remove the seeds. Arrange in a steamer basket. Steam for 8-12 minutes, until the squash is very tender. Remove the steamer basket and let the squash cool so you can handle it. Remove the flesh from the skin into a small bowl, then mash it well with a spoon.
- Meanwhile, fill up the pot with water for pasta and start it boiling.
- In a medium frying pan, melt the butter over very low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, about 8 minutes. (Don't raise the heat and try to rush this.) Add the cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and toss to mix.
- Add the milk, cream, and mashed squash to the pan, stirring to smooth it all together. Raise the heat slightly, bringing the sauce to the simmer. Simmer over medium heat until reduced, about 7 minutes. When you reach this point, you can add your pasta to the boiling water, so it'll be ready at the same time as the sauce.
- When the sauce is reduced and the pasta done, reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water, and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the simmering sauce, spooning in reserved water if necessary. Season with pepper and more salt or nutmeg to taste, then scrape into a bowl, toss with the Parmesan, and eat.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Butternut Squash
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Home Alone Dinner
Tags: Healthy, pasta, serves a crowd
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over 2 years ago BlissfulBaker
I tried the shortcut mentioned in the description (canned pumpkin) and was disappointed in the lack of flavor. Lazy lesson learned! Next time I would use the real squash. It also makes a lot of sauce, so I recommend 3-5 ounces of pasta with this recipe.
over 2 years ago takeanonion
wow—the visual appeal of mac and cheese; but a sweet taste with a kick.
over 3 years ago melissav
I totally do the same thing when eating alone!
over 3 years ago KelseyTheNaptimeChef
This looks awesome, I love the squash "sauce"!
over 3 years ago SmallKitchCara
I don't see why not! Just cut it into chunks that won't take forever to steam. Enjoy!
over 3 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Brilliant!! Have you ever done this with acorn squash? Or do you think it could be substituted? I've never seen a delicata squash, but just happen to have an acorn squash on hand. It's cold and grey here today . . . this recipe has "comfort food" written all over it. Plus, it looks so tasty!