Pumpkin Ravioli Recipe

Pumpkin Ravioli Recipe

This savory pumpkin ravioli recipe is so fun with its shape and color. You can optionally color your pasta with gel food coloring, but I chose to use pumpkin in the dough for this natural light orange. You don’t need a ravioli-specific press to make shaped ravioli; you can simply use a cookie cutter and a fork to seal the edges. I used this pumpkin cookie cutter.

For more pasta-making tips, check out this Pasta Dough 101 post.

Pumpkin Pasta Dough Recipe

Makes: 2 servings

Pumpkin Pasta Dough Ingredients:

• 1 cup OO flour
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp pure pumpkin
• Optional for color/extra color: Orange Gel Food Coloring

Pumpkin Ricotta Filling Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup pure pumpkin
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•  1 large egg
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Add the pumpkin and optional food coloring, and mix until combined.
2. In a large shallow bowl or a clean work surface, add the flour. Create a well in the middle with your hand, and add the wet ingredients to the well.
3. Using a fork or your fingers, slowly incorporate the wet ingredients with the flour until a shaggy crumble appears. You can continue bringing the dough together in the bowl or pour it out onto a clean work surface. It will take about a minute to get the dough to really come together. If some flour won’t incorporate, toss it.
4. Knead the shaggy dough for 6-8 minutes until it becomes soft and smooth. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for at least an hour or in the refrigerator for one night if you aren’t using it right away. Just make sure you bring it to room temperature when you are ready to use it.
5. While the dough is resting, make the filling by combining the filling ingredients in a small mixing bowl with a whisk until well combined. Transfer to a piping bag and set aside.
6. After the dough has rested, divide the dough into two parts. Cover half the dough with plastic wrap while working with the other half, so it doesn’t dry out.
7. With your hands, press the working dough into the rough shape of a rectangle and feed it through your pasta rolling machine at the thickest level. Fold the rolled dough over onto itself and feed it through the roller again. You can do this a few more times if the dough needs a little extra strengthening or shaping.
8. Change the thickness of the roller to the next thinnest option and continue feeding your pasta dough through the machine at a thinner and thinner setting until you reach the thinnest possible setting. The dough will be long and nearly paper-thin.
9. Use the backs of your hands to transport the dough to a floured work surface. Repeat for the other portion of the dough.
10. Cut the sheets of pasta dough into pumpkins using a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter.
11. Add a tablespoon of filling to half of the pumpkin cutouts. Dip your finger in a bit of water and use it to gently wet the outer edges of the pumpkin cutout around the filling. Top with another pumpkin cutout and press around the edges to remove any excess air and seal the ravioli. Use a fork around the edges to secure that seal and set aside on the floured surface to dry. Repeat steps for all remaining dough and let dry on the counter for about an hour so they won’t stick together when cooking in water.
12. To cook, bring a pot of well-salted water to a running boil. Using a slotted wooden spoon, add a few ravioli at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Let boil until they float at the surface for a few minutes before transferring to plates. Repeat with the remaining ravioli.
13. Top with a sauce of your choice (I like a simple butter and sage) and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot!