Find Your Dinner at the Farmers' Market: Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Wild Mushroom Sauce

My local farmers' market is one of only two year round markets in Toronto, but at this time of year the pickings start to get pretty thin. This week there were less than half of the vendors that were there last week and they had fewer items on offer, and fewer staff to man their booths. I still managed to score enough variety that we can have a different vegetable every night this week, but I am aware that the harvest will soon be over. Once the weather gets cold the market will move indoors where there is space for little more than half a dozen vendors, rather than the thirty or so during the farming season.

I bought lots of salad greens this week, knowing that salads will soon become a memory. But I also got great fall vegetables like beets, carrots, pumpkin and butternut squash. I'm one of those people who loves to see baskets full of the wide array of colourful squashes, so I enjoy them now before I have the chance to get tired of them.

This week I ended up making squash ravioli from my market ingredients and it is an elegant enough dish to make for company. This isn't difficult to make, but it does take a certain amount of time. You can make this recipe in steps if you like, roasting the squash the night before and then making the ravioli up to an hour before serving. For the topping, I used a combination of cremini mushrooms and Trumpet de la Mort that I got from Forbes Wild Foods. If you want a topping that isn't quite so rich, you could add some fresh sage leaves to the browned butter and very thinly sliced pears. Or if you want something richer, you can use the pears and more of the cheese, perhaps a gorgonzola or a really ripe brie.

As with all my made up recipes, my measurements are approximate and ingredients can always be substituted. Use any kind of dry squash for this recipe. Acorn, butternut or pumpkin would all work well, but Spaghetti squash has too much water in it. If you want to make your pasta from scratch, go for it, otherwise the won ton wrappers work really well.

Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Wild Mushroom Sauce
1 small acorn squash, cut in half, seeds removed
2 - 3 oz blue or gorgonzola cheese, room temperature
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
1 package won ton wrappers
6 cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 small handful of dried mushrooms (trumpets de la mort, or porcini), reconstituted and roughly chopped
3 - 4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp pine nuts

1. Roast squash in a 400F oven for 45 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool and then scoop out the flesh, discarding the skin.


2. Stir in an ounce or so of cheese into the squash. Lay a won ton wrapper onto your work space and place a teaspoon of squash into the centre of the wrapper. Do not overfill the wrapper or it will open during cooking. Dip your finger into a glass of water and run it around the edge of the wrapper. Place another wrapper on top and gently press down around the squash mixture, forcing out the air and pressing the edges of the top and bottom wrappers together. You might need another bit of water to ensure that the ravioli is completely sealed. Repeat until you have used the squash mixture, or you have as many ravioli as you want.


3. In a small skillet, toast pine nuts over a medium-low until golden brown, taking care that they don't burn. Place in a bowl and set aside.


4. Place a large pot of water on to boil. You want a wide pot, rather than a narrow deep pot, to allow the ravioli some room to cook without sticking to one another. Working in batches, cook the ravioli until the won ton wrappers are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Removed cooked ravioli, drain and place them on a plate, overlapping as little as possible and cover to keep warm. Repeat until all the ravioli are cooked.

Meanwhile, in the same small skillet, saute mushrooms in a tablespoon or so of butter until they are slightly crispy. Place in a bowl, cover and set aside. In the same skillet, melt the rest of the butter over a moderate heat. Once the foam has subsided from the melted butter it will begin to turn a golden brown. Take care not to burn the butter.

5. To serve, place the ravioli on the plate, spoon some butter over top then spoon the mushroom mixture on top of that. Crumble the cheese on top of that and sprinkle pine nuts over the whole thing. Serve immediately.

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Related Posts:
Cook a Vegetable You've Never Seen Before
Make an Impression at Thanksgiving
Recipe of the Week: A Two Dollar Squash
Squash: Truth about Food: Discovery Health
Find Your Dinner at the Farmers' Market: Hedgehog Mushrooms

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