Finding Hygge with Comfort Food
You probably know that the theme for my blog this month is Comfort. I have been trying to add hygge to our home. If you aren’t familiar with hygge, it’s a Danish word pronounced “who-gah” which is a mood of coziness and comfort with feelings of wellness and comfort. Hygge is about finding comfort in your decor, in your style and in the food you enjoy. When it comes to comfort food, pasta is the first thing that comes to mind. And there is nothing better than finding hygge with comfort food. Especially when it is homemade Carbonara and Ravioli.
Three years ago I bought myself a Christmas present. I bought the pasta attachments for my Kitchen-Aid mixer. And ever since then I have been making homemade pasta. In fact, I am not sure I have cooked store bought pasta ever since. It really is that good. And it’s not that hard to make.
You can also make homemade pasta with a hand crank pasta machine. They are a lot less expensive and work very well. So don’t think you have to spend a lot to enjoy homemade pasta.
Butternut Squash Ravioli is one of the best tasting pasta dishes ever! If you haven’t made it I have to insist that you try. You can make ravioli with a cookie cutter. I showed exactly how to do that when I made Fig, Gorgonzola and Chicken Ravioli on my blog for Valentine’s Day.
My recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce is not as hard to make as it sounds. I promise! I also made a slightly different version around the holidays with Pumpkin. It was also amazing and so delicious.
Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
This homemade butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter sauce just melts in your mouth. It is probably the best pasta recipe I have ever made. It really is that good.
Ingredients
- Ravioli Filling
- 9 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash puree
- Salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- cheese, plus 2 ounces
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1 recipe pasta dough, rolled out into wide
- ribbons, about ¼”-inch thick
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- Basic Pasta Dough
- About 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- To make pasta, mound the flour on a work surface.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and add the egg, olive oil and salt.
- Mix the egg and oil together with a fork and gradually incorporate some of the flour to make a smooth dough.
- When the dough has formed enough that you can handle it, continue to work in the flour by hand (without the fork).
- When the dough is sturdy enough roll it through the pasta machine and continue to add flour. When the dough is no longer sticky, stretch it with the pasta machine and cut into the desired shape.
- To make ravioli, in a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cool completely.
- Cut the pasta ribbons into 3-inch squares.
- Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each pasta square.
- Bring 1 corner of the square to the other, forming a triangle and seal the pasta completely.
- Add the pasta to pot of boiling salted water.
- Cook until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta floats and is pale in color.
- Remove the pasta from the water and drain well.
- Season the pasta with salt and pepper.
- In a large saute pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter.
- Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown.
- Remove from the heat.
- Place some of the pasta in the center of each serving plate.
- Spoon the butter sauce over the pasta.
- Sprinkle the 2 ounces of cheese over each plate and garnish with parsley.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 373Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 373mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 9g
Kid Friendly Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients
- Pasta
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 – 2 TBL water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Carbonara Sauce
- 1/2 lb bacon, chopped
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup nonsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- To make pasta add flour, eggs, salt and water to your Kitchen Aid mixer and mix with paddle for one minute. When the dough starts to stick into a ball, remove, cover in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Cut dough into four portions and put into the pasta machine. Start with level one and proceed through level seven.
- Change the pasta attachment on the machine to the fettuccine attachment. The pasta will cut into perfect noodle lengths.
- Hang pasta immediately on a pasta rack to dry. You can cook immediately in boiling water for 6 – 10 minutes or let dry overnight. Be sure to place on a counter as many of the noodles will dry and break off.
- To make Carbonara sauce, cook bacon until slightly crisp and remove from pan. Remove all but two tablespoons bacon grease.
- Add butter and cook until melted on low heat. Add cream and let thicken. Add garlic and parmesan cheese. Immediately pour over cooked warm pasta and serve.
- After leftover pasta has dried overnight, place in a Ziploc bag and store in a cool, dry place for up to four weeks. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 655Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 182mgSodium: 1017mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 27g
Once you make the pasta, immediately hang it on a pasta rack to dry. You can cook immediately in boiling water for 6 – 10 minutes or let dry overnight. Be sure to place on a counter as many of the noodles will dry and break off.
This is how the pasta dries overnight.
After leftover pasta has dried overnight, place in a Ziploc bag and store in a cool, dry place for up to four weeks. Enjoy!
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Could you freeze the fresh pasta or would that ruin it? What about the one that dries overnight? Could that be frozen?
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