Ravioli of butternut and ricotta with roasted walnuts and a burnt thyme butter

Preheat the oven to 180°C

Roast the walnuts in the oven till lightly golden in colour, taking care not to burn them as they will taste bitter.

Rub the butternut with some NoMU Masala and 1 tbsp olive oil before roasting in the oven until they are lightly caramelised and soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before chopping into small chunks. Place in a mixing bowl and carefully fold in the ricotta cheese and season with salt & pepper.

Wrap in cling film and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pasta, roll out the dough in your pasta maker until 1 mm in thickness. Try to make quite wide sheets as this will give you more room to create the ravioli. Lay out the sheets on a floured working surface and place a tablespoon of filling along the sheet, leaving a good space of 10 cm between each filling.

Dip your pastry brush in some water and brush the pasta sheet around the filling. Gently lay another pasta sheet perfectly on top of your first sheet and carefully remove all the air between the sheets and around the filling. Seal each ravioli tightly and individually, being careful not to tear the pasta. After you have done the entire length of the pasta sheet, cut out your desired shapes,with a ravioli or cookie cutter and lightly pinch the edges together.

In a saucepan, gently melt the butter with the garlic and thyme and allow to simmer until the butter begins to turn golden brown. Add the walnuts and season with salt and a twist of pepper. Once you’ve cooked your ravioli, drain very carefully and toss through the pan with all the butter sauce. Serve in heated bowls and top with thyme butter and walnuts.

Serves 4. (These quantities make 12 large raviolis, 3 per person. However you can make 24 smaller raviolis, 6 per person)

Wine suggestions

Riesling is my favourite white grape and the one I'll choose here would be a 2005 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett from JJ Prum, one of the very finest producers in the Mosel valley. Wonderfully packed with fresh mineral, floral and grapeyquincey- appley fruit, it has the zingy acidity to cut through the ricotta and the slight sweetness to match the butternut.



Ingredients

  • 500 g fresh pasta dough
  • 1 kg butternut, cut into rough chunks
  • 1 tsp NoMU Masala Rub
  • 250 g ricotta cheese
  • NoMU Just Pepper
  • NoMU Just Salt
  • 200 g walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely crushed
  • A good handful of fresh thyme leaves
  • 100 g salted butter