Fresh pumpkin ravioli made using homemade pasta, then sauced with sage-infused cream, is truly an example of all-day project cooking, at least for those of us who don’t make fresh pasta every week. The resulting dish is worth the effort, a once-yearly meal to celebrate the changing of the season from summer to pumpkin spice. Make this comforting pasta dish on a chilly autumn weekend after a trip to your local pumpkin patch. It’s the perfect excuse to invite friends over to help with the many recipe steps.
Serve some ginger cookies for dessert and mugs of hot apple cider with cinnamon. I can’t imagine a more idyllic fall evening.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Ravioli
- All-purpose flour: We make fresh pasta with versatile all-purpose flour. If you have 00 flour on hand, you’re welcome to use that instead for this ravioli pumpkin recipe.
- Eggs and olive oil: While dry pastas are made using only durum wheat semolina and water, beaten eggs and extra virgin olive oil impart this fresh pasta dough with elasticity, tenderness and good flavor.
- Pie pumpkin: Small and round with custardy sweet flesh, pie pumpkins are a variety of pumpkin beloved for their flavor and texture in baked goods. They work equally well as a velvety base for the filling of these pumpkin ravioli.
- Shallot: Finely chopped shallot adds a subtle onion flavor note to the ravioli filling.
- Butter: Butter adds a signature, savory richness to both the ravioli filling and the sage-cream sauce.
- Herbs: Fresh sage, thyme and a bay leaf all flavor the pumpkin ravioli filling with their woodsy, resinous flavors.
- Heavy whipping cream: A splash of cream adds richness to the pumpkin filling, but once reduced with butter and sage, it’s a real hero of the velvety cream sauce.
Directions
Step 1: Make the pasta
Place 2-1/2 cups of flour in a large bowl, then make a well in the center. Beat the eggs and oil, then pour the mixture into the well. Stir it together, forming a ball. Turn the ball onto a floured surface, then knead it until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes, adding remaining flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Cover the ball and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Make the pumpkin ravioli filling
In a large skillet, saute the pumpkin and shallot in butter until tender. Add the sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer the mix to a food processor, then cover and process it until blended. Return it to the pan, then stir in the cream and bay leaf. Bring the mix to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat, then simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Discard the bay leaf.
Step 3: Roll out the pasta
Divide the pasta dough into quarters. Pat them into rectangles, and roll one portion at a time to 1/8-inch thick. (Keep the remaining dough covered until ready to use.)
Step 4: Add the filling
Working quickly, place rounded teaspoonfuls of filling 1 inch apart over half the pasta sheet. Brush around the filling with egg. Fold the sheet over, then press down to seal. Cut the pasta into squares with a pastry wheel. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Step 5: Boil the ravioli
Bring a stockpot of salted water to a boil, then add the ravioli. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for one to two minutes or until the ravioli float to the top and are tender. Drain and keep warm.
Step 6: Make the cream sauce
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil, then cook, uncovered, until it’s reduced by half. Stir in the butter and sage, then serve the sauce atop the ravioli.
Pumpkin Ravioli Variations
- Add some meat: Add fine crumbles of cooked Italian sausage or prosciutto to the pumpkin filling. Because ravioli cooks within minutes, it’s safest to use only cooked meat in your fillings.
- Skip the cream: Trade out the sage-infused cream sauce and instead sauce this pumpkin ravioli recipe with a sage brown butter sauce.
- Take a shortcut: Use canned pumpkin in place of the fresh cooked pie pumpkin in this recipe. We love that canned pumpkin is inexpensive, widely available and consistently delivers rich pumpkin flavor with a thick, never watery, texture. Check out our picks for the best canned pumpkin brands.
How to Store Pumpkin Ravioli
Store leftover cooked pumpkin ravioli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. If the ravioli is not sauced, toss it with a little bit of oil before storing so the ravioli don’t stick together. If it’s already sauced, you can refrigerate it as is. To reheat them, you can use the microwave, but the best way is in a skillet over medium heat with a spoonful of water splashed in and a lid on top. The steam created by the water helps surround the ravioli and results in fewer hot and cold spots.
Can you make ravioli ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble pumpkin ravioli ahead of time, provided you cook and enjoy it later the same day. Once the ravioli is assembled, arrange it on a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with a bit of flour. Store the freshly assembled ravioli at room temperature for up to one hour, or in the refrigerator for up to four hours. Longer than that and the pumpkin filling will begin to make the dough soggy and prone to tearing.
Can you freeze ravioli?
Freezing ravioli is the best option if you’re assembling it ahead of time but don’t want to cook it the same day. Arrange the ravioli on a floured, parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, then freeze it. Once it’s frozen through, store the ravioli in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to one month. Note that the frozen ravioli is somewhat brittle and the pockets can crack if disturbed in the freezer too often. There’s no need to thaw the ravioli before cooking it. When cooking frozen ravioli, just give it an extra couple of minutes in the boiling water, as it’s starting from a colder temperature.
Pumpkin Ravioli Tips
Do you need a pasta machine to roll out pasta for fresh ravioli?
While plenty of Italians make pasta by hand without the help of a pasta maker, it’s easier for beginners to achieve even, thin sheets of dough with the help of either a hand-cranked or stand mixer attachment pasta roller. Check out our guide to making fresh pasta for more tips.
How do you cut ravioli without a ravioli cutter?
To cut ravioli without a ravioli cutter, first lay one sheet of pasta dough on a floured surface. Evenly space out tablespoons of the filling on the sheet, and then lay another pasta sheet on top. Press the dough around each mound of filling to remove any air, then cut out squares with a pastry cutter or pizza wheel. You can also use a chef’s knife or a cookie cutter!
Do you need to boil ravioli?
Parboiling he ravioli before adding it to the sauce is an important step in sealing the edges. We recommend parboiling the ravioli, draining it, then finishing it in the pot with the sauce.
What can you do with pasta scraps?
If you cut ravioli into squares, you may not have any leftover dough, but if you cut it into circles, you will end up with some scraps. Tear up those scraps unevenly to make pasta called maltagliati, which means “badly cut” in Italian! Cook it for two to three minutes in salted boiling water, and you have a quick and easy vehicle for any extra sauce you’ve got in the house.
