Charlotte au Chocolat

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bought a HUGE pumpkin. As in eight pounds huge. I had back pains after lugging it home from the farmer’s market. I’ve been wanting to make pumpkin-filled ravioli ever since eyeing a super easy recipe in the November issue of Bon Appetit. A few weeks ago, I picked up the ingredients, including a pumpkin, at my neighborhood grocery store, only to wake up one morning to a rotten pumpkin! With the acquisition of this huge pumpkin, I got antsy every time I looked at it, in fear it would rot as well. So one evening, I roasted the whole thing. I had lots of plans for the puree beyond the ravioli- this cake, these pancakes. But life got in the way, and dinner was more pressing- whatever wasn’t used in the ravioli was stirred into soup.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I love pumpkin ravioli. At restaurants, if it’s on the menu, it always secures a spot in my ordering dilemma. If you’re anything like me, you’ll want this recipe in your arsenal. It’s so easy, you start with a pumpkin puree- all it involves is roasting it in the oven, peeling back the skin, taking out the seeds, and scooping out the gorgeous orange flesh. Opening a can might be easier, but your house wont smell all warm and autumnal- because if there’s a smell that says autumn this is it.

Next, you add parmesan, lemon zest, salt and pepper and you’ve got your filling.

Now, you’ll lay out your wonton wrappers, dip a finger in egg yolk, and draw over the edges of each. With a teaspoon, you’ll place a drop of filling, and then fold it over, running your fingers along the edges to make sure they are tight. I like this kind of kitchen work, repetitive and simple, freeing my mind to wander. Meanwhile you’ll want to get a big pot of water boiling. In will go the ravioli, in one or two batches, for just a few minutes. And then they get a quick shove into a pan swirled with crème fraiche and butter. Topped with Parmesan and toasted pumpkin seeds, they make a surprisingly quick and extremely delicious dinner.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Creme Fraiche

From Bon Appetit

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree*

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt and pepper

18 round or square wonton wrappers

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup creme fraiche

Pumpkin seeds, shelled and toasted

1. In a medium bowl, mash the pumpkin puree with the Parmesan, sugar, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Arrange wonton wrappers on a work surface, and brush edges with lightly beaten egg.

3. Place 1 teaspoon of filling on the bottom half of each wrapper, and fold the top half over, gently pressing the edges to seal tightly.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the ravioli until just tender, about 3 minutes.

5. Melt butter and creme fraiche in a saute pan. Add ravioli and 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking liquid; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with grated Parmesan and toasted pumpkin seeds.

*Making your own pumpkin puree is super easy: Preheat oven to 400F, and poke holes into the top of your pumpkin with a sharp knife. Place in a baking dish and roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until skin is easily pierced and inside is very soft. Cut off top of pumpkin, and scoop out seeds; discard both. Peel, and discard skin. Place pumpkin in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. (Will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.)