I know that a lot of my recent Fall-inspired recipes have been various forms of pasta with savory sauces, but this is the season of coziness and comfort – and pasta is one of my favorite go-to dishes during the cooler, crisper months (other than soups, of course – but I’m saving those recipes for the Winter when we’ll all need a few new dishes to warm us up!) There’s something so satisfying about unwinding at the end of the day with a plate of fettucine or penne and watching a scary movie, or cooking for a crowd when it’s time to host a pumpkin carving party.
I had wanted to give a package of store-bought pumpkin ravioli a little something extra earlier this week, so I opted to whip up a brown butter sage sauce with finely chopped walnuts – and the results were outstanding. I’m looking forward to recreating this one this coming weekend when my mom comes to visit me before some plans we have scheduled in the Berkshires!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
4 SERVINGS:
- 18 ounces pumpkin ravioli (I used two packages of THIS RAVIOLI from Trader Joe’s!)
- ¼ cup of walnuts, finely chopped
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10-12 fresh sage leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1. Boil a large pot of water. When at a full boil, add a couple pinches of salt and the ravioli. Cook to al dente, according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.
2. While the ravioli is cooking, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped walnuts to the dry skillet and toast for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove walnuts to a separate plate. It’s important to keep an eye on the walnuts while they’re toasting and to stir them frequently so that they don’t burn.
3. Wipe down the inside of your skillet and return it to medium heat. Add the butter, let it melt and lightly bubble, and then begin to turn brown, swirling the pan occasionally. When the butter is a medium brown, add and swirl in the olive oil. From there, add the sage leaves, and let them sizzle in the skillet for 2-3 minutes until they darken and crisp. With a fork or tongs, remove the crisped sage to a cutting board, and finely chop the crisped leaves into smaller pieces. ** You can also use a food processor! That’s what I used for both the sage and the walnuts to get them very, very fine! **
4. Add the cooked ravioli to the skillet, and toss to coat with the brown butter sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and top the ravioli with a sprinkle of the walnuts and chopped sage. Add a light layer of the shredded Mozzarella to melt on top. Serve and enjoy!
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This one is savory – with just the right amount of sweetness – to make it a Top Ten Fall Dish. I’ve heard of people adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to recipes like this one form extra seasonal flavor, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as is. I don’t think it needs anything extra!
Next week, I’m going to be sharing a few of my favorite things from the month of October and recapping Spooky Season in it’s entirety as we prepare for the final countdown to Halloween! I’m so excited!
Enjoy your weekend, everyone!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 