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It’s FALL, YA’LL! Can you hear my Texas accent? Of course, I joke about scarves, pumpkin spice lattes, and people who say “ya’ll” all the time, but the reality is, I am one of those people. What can I say? I have such a soft spot for this time of the year and wish it would stick around for eleven more months! The way I truly savor the season is by cooking up a storm of autumn cravings. Pumpkin ravioli with tarragon sauce is one of those cravings.
Pumpkin Ravioli with Tarragon Sauce
You see, it all started with this beautiful pumpkin I found at the market. As it called my name, I thought about all the ways I could use it in recipes. Ravioli immediately came to mind. One of my favorite flavor combinations in fall cooking is pumpkin (or sweet potato), cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and salt. Sweet and salty had gone great together long before your ancestors got jiggy. That’s a flavor combination worth holding onto, wouldn’t you say?
This recipe is indeed one to save for a Saturday or Sunday cooking session. If you’re like me, you love to cook, but it’s not realistic to think this is a dish that can be put together on a Wednesday night. Save it for something to create during your “me time” or with your main squeeze or kiddos. It is the perfect recipe to make as a mindful cooking practice.
Why Are There No Eggs In This Pasta, Damnit?
I’ve said it once, and I will never stop saying, “You don’t have to sacrifice or do without when going vegan or plant-based.” And this is some truth, ya’ll.
Legend has it that in Southern Italy, eggs were expensive and better enjoyed cooked and eaten independently and not added into baking or dough. But what about making pasta? Semolina flour (Durum wheat), mixed with water in place of eggs, can yield a damn good pasta dough. The addition of olive oil acts as the binding agent that would normally be achieved by adding egg whites. This goes to show you that everything is indeed “figure-outable.”
Pasta Talk
Extruded or Laminated?
Extruded pasta is normally what you will find at the grocery store. All sorts of dried pasta in various shapes and designs are made by extruding the dough through dyes that shape and cut the pasta. Then, the pasta is dried and packaged for retail sale. This type of pasta isn’t necessarily inferior to fresh home-made pasta. Rather, it’s the preferred choice if you’re looking for an “al dente” quality in your bite.
Laminated pasta is made by squeezing the dough through rollers (or a pasta machine). This type of fresh pasta is great for more delicate dishes like lasagna and manicotti. You can make all sorts of shapes using this method. For instance, fettuccine, spaghetti, tortellini, pappardelle, and ravioli are all great options. A good pasta machine will have a separate attachment to make fettuccine noodles as you pass the dough through, or you could cut the dough into ribbons using a knife.
Laminated pasta takes more time to make than simply buying pasta, but it’s so worth the task! Making your own pasta not only gives you a sense of “badassery” in your step, but it also allows you to control the flavor, thickness, shape, and filling. Your pasta will be fresh and cooked to a delicate texture in your dish. You cannot go wrong with that business!
My Plans for This Pumpkin
~ I’ll roast the seeds for a simple snack. Here’s a super neat video on how to crank that shit out.
~ I can add a bit of the pumpkin purée into the tarragon sauce for a more pumpkin punch.
~ What I don’t use in the ravioli recipe, I will freeze for another day. Perhaps, pumpkin bread is in my foreseeable future?
Let’s Get This Pumpkin Ravioli Party Started
Below, you’ll find the basic recipe for Vegan Pasta Dough and a few photos of the recipe process, however, the real nitty-gritty is in the recipe. As always, be sure to read through the recipe before you get started so you will be prepared for any surprises.
Vegan Pasta Dough
1 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp semolina flour
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
A hefty pinch of kosher salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands. Once the ingredients are combined, transfer the dough to the countertop. Knead with your hands until the dough is smooth. Shape the dough into a roll and wrap with Saran and place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, overnight if possible. Use in the recipe for Pumpkin Ravioli with Tarragon Sauce.
For another great pasta dish to create, check out my Garlic Pasta Nests with Spinach and Shrooms.
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Pumpkin Ravioli with Tarragon Sauce
- Total Time: Varies
- Yield: 16 ravioli 1x
Ingredients
1 ball of Vegan Pasta Dough
FOR PUMPKIN PUREE FILLING
1 medium-sized pumpkin
A pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
1–2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
FOR TARRAGON SAUCE
2 tbsp plant butter (Melt or Earth Balance)
1 cup oat milk
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp arrowroot
1 tbsp water
Crushed walnuts for garnish
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Purée
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Carefully cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Slice the pumpkin into long segments. Arrange the segments onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season with salt, pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast the pumpkin segments in the oven for 40 minutes or until softened. Remove from the oven and set aside to let cool.
Using a paring knife, carefully remove the skin from each pumpkin segment and place the pumpkin flesh into a food processor. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and thyme and process until the pumpkin is smooth. Scoop into a small bowl and set aside.
TO MAKE THE RAVIOLI
You can use a pasta machine or roll out the pasta using a rolling pin. I used a rolling pin because I like my ravioli a bit thicker than what you can achieve with the pasta machine. Keep in mind that by using the pasta machine, you will yield more ravioli. The thinner the sheets, the more dough you will have to laminate.
Fill a large pasta pot with water, add a hefty palmful of kosher salt, and bring to a boil.
Roll or laminate the pasta into a large sheet. Place the sheet of pasta on a lightly floured surface with the longest edge facing you. Fold the dough in half lengthwise, press gently to make a crease, and then unfold the dough. Spoon a tsp of the pumpkin filling every 2 1/2 inches along the furthest edge of the pasta, about an inch from the edge. Dip a finger in a small bowl of water and wet around each mound of filling to moisten the pasta.
Fold the front edge of the dough over the mounds. Starting in the center, gently press and shape the dough around each mound, working out to the sides. Make sure there are no air bubbles near the filling to ensure even cooking.
Using a sharp knife, cut into ravioli squares. Transfer the ravioli to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly sprinkle with flour and set aside.
FOR THE SAUCE
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the milk, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a low simmer. In a small bowl, add the arrowroot with a splash of water. Spoon the arrowroot mixture into the sauce and whisk until it begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and set aside while you cook the ravioli.
Drop 4 ravioli, at a time, into the boiling pot of water. Boil for 6-8 minutes or until the ravioli rises to the top. Scoop out the ravioli and place onto a dish. Repeat with the rest of the ravioli.
TO SERVE
Pour a bit of the sauce onto the plate, then top with 3-4 ravioli. Top with more sauce and garnish with fresh tarragon leaves and crushed walnuts. Serve immediately.
Notes
*This recipe makes extra pumpkin purée for other recipes! You can freeze what you don’t use for the ravioli and use it for pumpkin bread or cookies. You can also whisk a bit into the tarragon sauce for an extra kick of pumpkin flavor.
*The cooking time will vary depending on your speed and action plan. To help ease the process, you can make the pasta dough and filling a day in advance. Making the ravioli will go a lot easier on the day you plan on enjoying the dish.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1-2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven and Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
