Butternut Squash: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

For such a fruit (vegetable? No, fruit--seeds) with such a demeaning name (on second thought, "butternut" does sound light, cheerful, and tasty, but "squash"???), butternut squash is a heavenly, melt-in-your mouth kind of food. All cut up into cubes and baking tenderly in the oven with delicate herbes de Provence to complement its sweet flavor, wafts drifting upstairs from the kitchen entertained and tantalized my nose for a good 25 minutes until I was able to pull it from the oven and sneak several dainty morsels to the satisfaction of my anxious mouth. But the squash had more important purposes than being a simple treat for my nose, tongue, and stomach. It was to become...

Tortellini!


Thanks to Giada De Laurentiis, I found this delicious recipe for one of my favorite dishes watching the Food Network one day at work. I had had butternut squash ravioli (a minor difference) for the first time at a great little soup/sandwich/pasta place in Arizona called Wildflower and have been craving it ever since. I have been wanting to try out this recipe because it seemed simple enough for the amateur gourmet in me, so I finally got myself to Central Market, picked out a beautiful squash, and made it this week... Devine!

The squash filling itself has the texture and taste similar to that of honeyed sweet potatoes and, mixed with whole milk ricotta, becomes creamy and slightly rich. Nutmeg and almond cookies add layers of flavor and interest to the filling, and the brown butter sauce with sage, cranberries, and walnuts literally melts over the top, lightly finishing off the simple yet sophisticated dish. The cranberries give a necessary subtle tangy-sweetness that complements the squash extremely well. Although a bit time-consuming, I would hope that you would try out this dish if you don't have the pleasure of living near me... And if you do, I suggest you find a way into my kitchen to try some before it's all gone. (Note: The recipe makes A LOT of filling. I still have an entire tub of the mixture in the fridge waiting to be tucked into little pockets tomorrow, only to be consumed by you-know-who...)

Butternut Squash Tortellini with Brown Butter Sauce

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

1 butternut squash, cubed (about 3 cups) [I think I may have used a bit more.]

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons


1 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence


1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste


1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste


2 large shallots, chopped


2 garlic cloves, chopped


1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese


4 small amaretti cookies, crushed (1/3 cup) [Couldn't find these, so used thin almond cookies instead.]


1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


1 package small wonton wrappers


3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)


2 tablespoons torn fresh sage leaves


1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped


1/2 cup dried cranberries


1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste


1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste


1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese



Preheat the oven to 375. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss together the butternut squash, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven until soft and golden, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Cook the shallots and garlic until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.



In a food processor [I put everything in a big pot and used my hand mixer since I don't have a processor.], combine the butternut squash mixture, the shallot mixture, and the ricotta cheese and pulse a few times to blend. Add the crushed amaretti cookies, the nutmeg, and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pulse until smooth.

Lay out 6 wonton wrappers, keeping the remaining skins inside the package or under a dampened paper towel. Place 1 tablespoon [I had to use less than this to avoid over-stuffing.] of squash mixture in the middle of each skin. Dip a pastry brush in a little water and wet the edges of the skin. Gently fold the square wrapper into a triangle, making sure the edges are securely closed and there are no air pockets inside. Dampen the two bottom corners of the longest side of the triangle and gently bring them together, pressing lightly to secure. Place the formed tortellini on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Before laying out another 6 wonton sheets, be careful to dry the work surface. This will help keep tortellini from sticking to the baking sheet. Continue until all the butternut squash mixture is used. [You can freeze some of the tortellini on a baking sheet and then put them in a container or plastic bag and save for later.] 



To make the sauce and serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sage, walnuts, and cranberries and let cook until the butter starts to brown, about 3 minutes. [Be very careful--you don't want the butter to cook too much and become bitter!] Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.



Then, gently place the tortellini in the boiling water and gently stir. When they begin to float, they are done, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, gently spoon the tortellini onto a serving platter. Top with the brown butter sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.



Buon appetito!