Butternut Squash Tortellini in a Sage Butter

As delicious as the Chanterelle Tortellini Aglio e Olio were, Louise and I decided that we wanted a second stuffed-pasta option.  And so, Butternut Squash Tortellini in a Sage Butter were born:

This is a very traditional combination of flavours, and for very good reason.   Butternut squash + sage = heaven.

And on a side note, did you know you can get a specialty nutmeg grinder?  It looks like a pepper grinder:

But has a totally different mechanism, just for whole nutmeg!

And random aside #2 — if you get really tired of folding tortellini… you can always make Trianglini:

That night we enjoyed the fruits of our labour and had a gorgeous dinner – two types of tortellini (the Chanterelle Tortellini Aglio e Olio) and this Butternut Squash Tortellini:

Along with my favourite new beet & mint salad:

Topped with “crispy feta”:

And for dessert, a chocolate mousse topped with pureed and whole raspberries:

Was it worth it to make the two types of tortellini?  OH HECK YES.  But you know what, next time, I’m only going to make one at a time.  And I’m absolutely making the filling the night before to make my life 0h-so-much easier and more enjoyable.

But I think fresh pasta is always worth whatever efforts it takes.  And I hope you do too!

Butternut Squash Tortellini in a Sage Butter
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Mastering: Pasta, Noodles & Dumplings

• 500g (1 lb) fresh egg pasta
• 1 butternut squash
• 125g (4 oz / 1 c.) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 egg
• 5g (1 tsp.) sea salt
• 1g (1/4 tsp.) nutmeg, finely grated
• 1g (1/4 tsp.) freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 big handful of sage leaves

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Cut your squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.  Place the squash (cut-side-down) on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and roast at 400F for 1 hour, until the flesh is soft.  Let cool, and scoop out the flesh and set aside.  Discard the skin.

Once your squash has cooled, place it in the bowl of your food processor, and add the cheese, egg, salt, nutmeg, and pepper.  Blitz until all ingredients are well combined and you have a smooth puree.

Cut your fresh egg pasta into 10cm (4″) squares, and place a teaspoonful of filling in the centre.

Brush the edges with water (using your finger or a pastry brush), fold into a triangle, and press the edges together to seal well:

Then fold over one side:

And fold over the other, and pinch them shut:

Repeat with your remaining pasta and filling. Place your formed tortellini in a single layer on a floured baking sheet.

Cook your pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente, about 3 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, and add your sage leaves.

Drain your pasta, and add to the sage butter pan:

Toss well to coat the butternut tortellini with the sage butter.

Serve immediately, blanketed with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.

Freeze any uncooked tortellini you won’t use immediately, by laying them out in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Then transfer them to a freezer bag once they’ve frozen.