Sage Walnut Butter Recipes

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH SAGE WALNUT PUMPKIN BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pumpkin on pan, cut sides up, drizzle with olive oil and generously season with brown sugar, salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, or until soft. Allow to cool slightly.
• Scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin into the bowl of a food processor. Add egg and nutmeg, and purée until smooth. You should have about 3 cups (1 ½ pounds) purée total. Set aside 1/3 cup pumpkin purée for the sauce.
• Dust a work surface with semolina flour. Lay out a sheet of pasta, then place 2 teaspoons of filling every few inches. Brush around the filling with water, then place a second pasta sheet over the top. Press the top sheet of pasta down around the mounds of filling. Cut 2 ½-inch square ravioli with a large ravioli stamp or sharp knife, trimming as needed, and crimp around the edges with a fork to seal individual raviolis.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with salt. Drop in ravioli a few at a time and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft but still al dente. Set aside ¼ cup pasta cooking water, then use a large slotted spoon to remove the cooked ravioli to a plate.
• Make the sauce: Heat the butter, sage and walnuts in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter browns, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved 1/3 cup pumpkin filling, a few grinds of nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and sizzling, then add 2 tablespoons reserved pasta cooking water, stirring until sauce is glossy and smooth; thin with additional pasta water if desired. Spoon sauce onto plates and top with ravioli and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

TARRAGON WALNUT BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is a light-tan, nutty color and fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes.
• Stir walnuts into butter; cook and stir in hot butter until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice, remove skillet from heat, add tarragon, and season with salt and black pepper.

RAVIOLI WITH SAGE-WALNUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine the vinegar, honey and bay leaf in a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Cover to keep warm.
• Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the sage and walnuts and cook until the nuts are toasted, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, ladle in about 1 cup cooking water and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Drain the ravioli, reserving another 1/2 cup cooking water. Add the ravioli to the skillet and toss to coat, adding the reserved water as needed. Remove from the heat, toss with the parmesan and season with salt. Divide the ravioli among plates and drizzle with the balsamic syrup.

SAGE-WALNUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey and a bay leaf in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until syrupy, 5 minutes. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1/3 cup sage leaves and 1 cup chopped walnuts; cook 3 minutes. Add 1 cup pasta-cooking water and cook until reduced by half, 2 minutes. Toss with 1 pound cooked tortellini, some grated parmesan and salt. Drizzle with the balsamic syrup.