Leslie Karst here, and today I'm happy to present an amazing homemade pasta recipe from our guest author, Kate Lansing, whose newest book, A Pairing to Die For, released just last week. Kate is giving away a signed copy of her new book, which GIVEAWAY you can find at the end of this post. Take it away, Kate!
Adventures in Pasta Making
I love pasta. Spaghetti, penne, farfalle, orzo. It doesn’t matter—if you boil it, I will come. No, not really, but you get the point. I’m a fan. A big, gluten-guzzling fan.
So, it may come as no surprise that I’ve long harbored a desire to try homemaking pasta. Especially when hosts on cooking shows lament over how easy it is. You just make a mound of flour on your countertop, crack an egg in the middle, add a drizzle of olive oil, and knead it together, right? Reader, it is not that simple. At least it wasn’t when I first attempted the feat. In fact, that particular experiment resulted in raw egg all over the kitchen and a hurried order for delivery pizza (if I’m being completely honest, this actually happened twice—TWICE).
When I was brainstorming recipes to include in A PAIRING TO DIE FOR, I knew I had to at least try homemaking pasta again. Plus, I’d dreamed up the most mouth-watering dish while writing the story that I was hankering to taste IRL—pumpkin ravioli in a sage and butter sauce.
After researching recipes to use as a base along with various cooking techniques, I discovered the secret: a food processor. With this handy tool, there’s no need to mix the flour, egg, and olive oil by hand! There’s still a decent amount of work, especially if you, like me, don’t own a pasta-maker machine or attachment, but hey, you can consider it your strength training for a day! And oh, it is worth the extra effort. The fresh pasta has a soft yet chewy texture and fresh flavor that’s to die for.
Below is the recipe I came up with for pumpkin ravioli in a sage and butter sauce, which I suggest pairing with an oaky chardonnay to really push it over the top. Hope you enjoy!
Pumpkin Ravioli in a Sage and Butter sauce
2 cups flour (plus extra for countertop)
3 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup water
Pinch of salt
2 medium shallots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
15 ounces canned pumpkin
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
8 sage leaves, chopped
¼ cup grated Parmesan
For the pasta, mix flour, eggs, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, water, and a pinch of salt in food processor until combined and dough has a sticky texture.
Knead dough on floured surface for 2–3 minutes. Place in bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Divide dough into 4 sections. For each, roll with rolling pin on floured surface, fold dough over, rotate, and roll out again. Repeat 7–8 times until dough becomes thin (~⅛ inch) and pliable.
For the filling, sauté shallots in remaining tablespoon of olive oil for 3–4 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add pumpkin, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir together and cook for an additional minute.
Dollop spoonfuls of filling onto pasta dough, roughly 1 inch apart.
Carefully lay another sheet of pasta dough on top and press around edges of each dollop. Cut out ravioli with cookie cutter, or use rim of a cup, creating pillows of deliciousness. Repeat for the other 2 sheets of pasta dough.
Bring pot of salted water to a boil and place ravioli in, being careful not to overcrowd. The ravioli will float to the top when they’re done, which should only take 1–2 minutes.
For the sauce, melt butter in pan and add sage leaves, bringing to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
To serve, place ravioli on plate with a healthy spoonful of sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan. (See photo at top of post.)
🍝 🌿 🍋
Kate Lansing is an award-winning short story author. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and a chair-napping tabby cat named Maple. Killer Chardonnay is her first novel.
Website: http://katelansing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lansingkm/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lansingkm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmlansing/
About A Pairing to Die For: A young winemaker is over a barrel when her new boyfriend is accused of murder in this delightful cozy mystery. It's fall in Boulder, Colorado, and the leaves aren't the only things changing. Parker Valentine, owner of Vino Valentine, is finally settling in to her winery and her new relationship with Reid Wallace, a local chef. But their delicate pairing is endangered when Reid's estranged family comes into town to celebrate the opening of his new restaurant.
Reid and his family are immediately at loggerheads, given their often acidic temperaments, but Parker still wants to make a good first impression. However, her efforts might be in vain when Reid's sous chef is found dead in the alley behind the restaurant, and Reid is implicated in the murder. In order to save Reid, Parker will have to find the real killer, even if the truth is difficult to swallow.
Penguin Random House: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/621061/a-pairing-to-die-for-by-kate-lansing/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pairing-Die-Colorado-Wine-Mystery/dp/0593100204/
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-pairing-to-die-for-kate-lansing/1137073696
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/a-pairing-to-die-for/9780593100202
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780593100202
