pumpkin ravioli

When I made the fresh pumpkin pasta I decided to use part of the pasta dough to try making some ravioli.  I have never made homemade ravioli before even though I have a couple of the ravioli molds to make ravioli by hand.  I had a little bit of unused pumpkin puree that would work for the filling when mixed with some brown sugar.  I used this recipe to make the pasta dough.

This is a ravioli mold

a thin pasta sheet covers the holes in the mold

the second part of the mold makes the indents

puree, brown sugar and nutmeg

filling in all of the indentations

a second pasta sheet goes over the filling

roll over the raised edges to cut the raviolis

pull away the excess pasta dough

separated from the mold

into boiling water

And ready for sauce.

A little white sauce

some crispy sauteed kale and Parmesan cheese.

sweet pumpkin filling, creamy sauce and crispy kale

Pumpkin Ravioli

recipe for pumpkin pasta here
pumpkin filling
white sauce
sauteed kale
Parmesan cheese 

pumpkin filling:

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper

Combine the filling ingredients.  Roll out the pasta dough forming two thin sheets.  Use one of the pasta sheets to cover the holes on the ravioli mold.  Place a small amount of the filling in each indentation.  Cover with the second sheet of dough and use the rolling pin to go over the raised edges of the raviolis and tip them out.  Cook the raviolis in boiling water for five minutes.

White sauce:

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
water to thin if needed

Melt the butter over medium heat.  Stir in flour to make a roux.  While stirring constantly add milk and cook until thickened.  Add cooked raviolis to the sauce.  Thin with a few tablespoons of water if sauce is too thick.  Stir in the sauteed kale and top with a dusting of Parmesan cheese when serving.

source: the filling comes from this recipe

fresh pumpkin pasta

I had some pumpkin puree left over that was from a pumpkin that was grown in our garden this summer.  I have not made fresh pasta in a long time but I ran across this recipe on pinterest for a pumpkin pasta and it inspired me to drag out my pasta stuff and give it a try.    The source recipe was rolled with a rolling pin and cut into fettuccine by hand with a pizza cutter but I have a pasta roller so I used that.  This dough is made in a food processor so it is quick and easy.

flour and salt pulsed to mix

pumpkin, egg yolks and whole egg

pulse until it looks like cornmeal

water added a tablespoon at a time until dough forms

the dough gathered into a ball

wrapped in parchment to rest

the dough ball cut into forths

going through the rollers

thin pasta sheet ready to cut

cutting into fettuccine

hanging to dry

cooks in 1-2 minutes in boiling water

I tried a serving of pasta topped two different ways and both were good.

topped with pesto and Parmesan cheese

melted butter and cream

reduced until slightly thickened

stir in the cooked pasta

top with a little Parmesan cheese.

Fresh pumpkin pasta

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
water

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add the pumpkin puree, the egg and egg yolks and pulse until resembles cornmeal.  Drizzle water 1 tablespoon at a time while pulsing until a dough forms.  Gather the dough into a ball, dust lightly with flour and wrap in parchment or plastic wrap.  Allow to rest 30 minutes.  After resting divide the dough into smaller pieces and work with one piece while keeping the others covered.  Roll thin with a rolling pin or run it thru the pasta rollers of a machine until you get a thin sheet.  Dust with flour as needed but the less flour you are able to use the more flavorful and tender your pasta will be.  Cut your thin pasta sheet into noodles by hand or machine.  I hung my noodles to dry on a rack while I was working on the remainder of the dough.  Cooks in 1-2 minutes in boiling water.  Top with sauce.

I used part of my pasta dough to make ravioli but that is another post...

Source: The original recipe can be found here.

bobbie's pumpkin bread

Bobbie agreed to share her pumpkin bread recipe with me.  This pumpkin bread is made from a family recipe--a recipe that Bobbie's mom shared with her and it is the recipe that she has always used. 

It makes a generous amount.  Bobbie says that it will make five or six small loaves or one large loaf and three small loaves.  She sometimes bakes it up in soup cans to give as gifts at Christmas and says that it "makes many". 

Bobbie used pumpkin puree from a pumpkin from her garden.  She sent a loaf to share with Brad and Nikole and Nikole grabbed a quick picture before it was gone. 

Bobbie's pumpkin bread

2/3 cup water
4 eggs
1 cup oil
3 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 cups nuts (optional)

Sift the dry ingredients together.  Combine with the wet ingredients and mix all together.  Divide batter among prepared pans and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes.

pumpkin dinner rolls

Today Caitlin will be making sweet potato chili and this will be my contribution to our lunch.   It is a new recipe, from pinterest, and it will be an opportunity to use some of the pie pumpkins that we grew this summer in the garden.   Last night I steamed a pumpkin and pureed the flesh.  There is enough for this and at least two more pumpkin recipes or the extra can go in the freezer.

These are the ingredients that I will be using to make the pumpkin rolls.

I realized when I started putting the ingredients together that the melted butter was still in the microwave and didn't make the picture.  :)

the water and yeast in the bowl of the stand mixer

adding the pumpkin puree, the eggs, sugar and butter

flour, salt, spices are incorporated with the dough hook

after five minutes a nice dough is formed

the dough is placed in an oiled bowl

 I placed the covered bowl under my undercabinet lights where it is a little bit warmer.

first raising

doubled in size

After raising the dough is shaped into rolls and allowed to raise again.  I moved the dough to the counter and kneaded it slightly in order to gather it into a ball.  I then cut the dough ball in half and then cut each half into five sections.

I greased the bottoms and sides of two cake pans.

I shaped each of the pieces of dough into a roll and placed five rolls in each cake pan.

I covered the pans with a clean dish towel and they are allowed to raise another 25-30 minutes.  The dough is a pretty color and smell a little like pumpkin pie.

Here they are ready to go into the oven.

The bake at a 350° for 20 minutes.

Here are the finished rolls.  We served our with a little honey butter.  This was the first time making these and we thought these were really good.  Tender with a nice flavor.  A keeper for sure.

pumpkin spiced dinner rolls

1/3 cup lukewarm water

1 Tbsp active dry yeast

4 Tbsp butter, melted and slightly cooled

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Whisk together the water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and allow to stand a minute or two.  Add the butter, sugar, pumpkin puree and eggs and whisk just until combined.  Mix together the flour, salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Using the dough hook on low speed incorporate the dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  Allow the dough to mix for five minutes.  It should come together into a slightly sticky dough.  Add a couple more tablespoons of flour if too sticky.  Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover.  Allow to raise until double in size, approximately 1 hour.  When doubled in size cut  the dough into ten roughly equal pieces.  Place five pieces in each of two 8 inch round cake pans.  Allow to raise, covered another 25-30 minutes.  Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.  Makes 10 large rolls.

Source: adapted from this recipe

perfect roasted seeds

This season with our abundance of zucchinis, summer squashes, acorns, butternuts and pumpkins we have had lots of opportunities to save the seeds and roast them.  And they all make good roasted seeds.

These seeds are from my sister's straggler zucchini here. You would follow the same process for all seeds. Making roasted seeds takes two days.  I seasoned mine with garlic powder but you can use any favorite seasoning. 

Day One

save the seeds

separate the seeds from the stringy pulp

rinse the seeds in water

drain the seeds in a colander and pat with paper towel

dry overnight on a parchment lined baking sheet.

 The next day you will roast the seeds.

Day Two

place the dry seeds in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and season

spread the oiled and seasoned seeds on a lined baking sheet

Bake 300 for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown

Source:

http://www.fromvalerieskitchen.com/2011/10/perfect-roasted-pumpkin-seeds/?print=1