Photos by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Butternut squash—a quintessential New England fall ingredient—is the hero of this rustic ravioli filling. The sweet, starchy vegetable is enlivened with crushed red pepper, then roasted in a hot oven to concentrate the flavor. Once mashed, sweet and sour caramelized onions are folded in along with sage, ricotta and Parmigiano Reggiano. As with all pasta fillings, the mixture should be boldly seasoned, so be generous with the salt and pepper.

Serves 4

1 small butternut squash (about 1½ pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
8 ounces whole-milk ricotta
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil or melted butter for serving

1 recipe Basic Pasta Dough

To make the filling, preheat the oven to 400°F. On a rimmed sheet pan, toss together the squash, 2 tablespoons olive oil, crushed red pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Bake for 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway through. The squash should be soft and lightly browned and caramelized around the edges. Mash with a fork and set aside.

Place a medium skillet over medium-low heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 15–20 minutes, or until they are deep golden brown and reduced in volume by about half. Add the garlic and cook for another 3–5 minutes. Add the maple syrup and apple cider vinegar and cook for one more minute or until most of the liquid is evaporated. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the chopped sage.

Add the cooled, mashed squash to the bowl with the onions. Stir in the cheeses. Taste and add more salt and freshly ground pepper if you like—the mixture should be highly seasoned.

To assemble and cook the ravioli, roll out the first piece of pasta dough according to my recipe for Basic Pasta Dough. If you haven’t already, cut the sheet of dough in half so you have two 5-inch by 16-inch rectangles.

Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of filling, spaced about 2 inches apart, onto one sheet of dough. You should be able to get at least 10 ravioli in two rows of five. Carefully brush or mist the dough with water, then place the other sheet on top. Use your fingertips to press out any air pockets and seal around the filling all the way to the edges of the dough.

Cut the ravioli into squares with a knife or pastry wheel, or use a round cookie cutter or ravioli press to stamp out 2-inch circles around each mound of filling. Transfer the ravioli to a floured sheet pan and cover with a clean towel. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add 8–10 ravioli and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes, or until they rise to the surface and the pasta is cooked through. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer them to a platter and continue cooking the rest.

Serve drizzled with olive oil or melted butter and extra grated Parmigiano on top.

This recipe appeared in the Fall 2022 issue as part of a larger story on Stuffed Pastas.