Pumpkin Ravioli

Pumpkin, for me, equals Autumn. Pair it with cinnamon and nutmeg and it reminds me of red-leafed trees and Halloween. When the temperatures are up in the 90s, and we're looking at several months of heat and humidity, that's sometimes a good image to hold onto. Hence this yummy recipe for pumpkin ravioli.

Filling (makes enough for 60 raviolis)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup pumpkin puree
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pasta Dough (makes enough for the filling and then some)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups wholewheat flour
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
4 eggs

Sauce (enough for 4 generous servings)
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup romano cheese
sage, salt and pepper (to taste)
Parmesan and parsley to sprinkle

1. To make the filling, mix all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready

2. To make the dough, combine the flours and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, tomato paste and olive oil. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until it comes together. Continue to knead until it's smooth and elastic. Divide into 2 balls and cover with plastic wrap. Leave for 30 minutes to relax.

3. Tear off pieces of the ball to make your raviolis and roll them flat or put them through a pasta machine (hint : these are a godsend). Wet a finger and run around the edges to ensure a good seal. With a tsp of filling in each, this makes about 60 raviolis.

4. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, then store in a ziplock bag. You will probably need to do this in batches.

5. To cook from frozen, boil in salted water for about 5-7 minutes (until they float).

6. To make the sauce, mix the ingredients and simmer until sauce thickens. Pour over raviolis and sprinkle with parmesan and parsley to garnish.