Red Pepper Pasta Ravioli

During the mid 1800s, visitors to Northern Italy noted that local cooks sometimes flavored their homemade pasta all’uovo (egg pasta) with a spinach to create pasta verde. Another traditional version, pasta rossa, featured tomato. Today, at Chiodo’s Ferro Cucina in Warren, PA, chef Frank Chiodo adds subtly smoky, sweet flavor to his pasta all’uovo by adding pureed roasted red pepper. Here is Frank’s recipe for Red Pepper Pasta Ravioli. Stuffed with rich butternut squash, these reddish pasta pillows are lightly seasoned with marjoram butter and a dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano!

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash (about 2.5 lb.), halved lengthwise/seeded
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons shredded provolone cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• ½ teaspoon roasted garlic puree
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh marjoram or sage leaves
• freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Instructions:

Place squash cut side down on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 400°F, 45 to 60 minutes, until tender. Cool slightly. Scoop squash out of shells; grind in food processor until smooth.

Place squash puree in double thickness of cheesecloth; squeeze gently to drain thoroughly.

Place 3/4 cup puree (reserve remaining squash puree for another use) in bowl, mix in cheese, basil, garlic puree, salt, and pepper. Cover and set aside while making pasta.

Place red bell peppers cut side down on foil lined baking sheet. Broil until blackened. Wrap peppers in foil; cool. Peel peppers; puree. Place 2 cups of flour in medium bowl; make a well in the center. Add eggs and 6 tablespoons of roasted red pepper puree. Use fork to gradually mix everything together, until dough pulls together into a ball, adding a little more flour to create smooth dough.

On floured surface, knead dough until smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Roll dough on lightly floured surface 1/16 inch thick and cut into 5″ wide strips. In center of each pasta strip, use #20 sour cream scoop to portion squash filling every 3 inches. Fold one side of pasta strip over the other to enclose the filling. Use zigzag cutter to cut and seal each ravioli. Blanch ravioli in boiling salted water 4 to 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water; pat dry. Dust lightly with flour; place on parchment paper lined tray. Freeze. Place in zip-lock bags; return to freezer.

Boil to order, 3 to 5 minutes. To serve, melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in marjoram; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in ravioli; plate and sprinkle generously with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Makes 4 to 6 servings.