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Death to Butternut Squash Agnolotti with California Walnut Butter
Death to Butternut Squash Agnolotti with California Walnut Butter
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Chef Mulvaney has nothing against butternut squash, he just believes that it has become so common many cooks overlook the wonderful flavors of other squash varieties. Try this recipe using acorn, delicata or hubbard squash and you may see his point of view. 

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Prep Time: 1h m
  • Cook Time: 20m
Vegetarian Chef Collection
Ingredients

For the filling:

1 small squash, the variety is your preference*

salt

freshly ground pepper

½ cup ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

pinch of nutmeg

2 tablespoons fine, dry bread crumbs

For the walnut butter:

1 ½ cups toasted California walnuts, in halves and large pieces

2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon salt

1 – 2 tablespoons water, if needed

To form the agnolotti:

36 - 40 round or square won ton wrappers, 3 inches in diameter, or fresh pasta rolled almost paper thin and cut in 3-inch squares

For saucing and serving:

1 ¼ cups crumbled goat cheese

1 cup finely cut dried figs

½ - ¾ cup sage leaves, cut in chiffonade, plus several small leaves for garnish

3 - 4 tablespoons olive oil

*Note: Alternately, 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not seasoned or sweetened) may be substituted for the prepared squash puree. Simply blend with the other filling ingredients as directed above.

Directions
  1. To make the filling, cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Season the cut sides lightly with salt and pepper. Coat a shallow baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and place the squash halves on it, cut side down. Bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for 60 - 75 minutes, or until the skin begins to crinkle and a sharp knife pierces the squash easily. Cool completely.
  2. Using a spoon, scrape the squash flesh from the skin, then mash or puree until smooth. Measure 1 cup of the squash and place it in a large bowl. (Any remaining squash may be used in a soup or seasoned and served as a vegetable.) Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, honey, nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt to the puree and beat until smooth. Stir in the bread crumbs. Set aside.
  3. To make the walnut butter, put the walnuts in a food processor. With the machine running, add the olive oil, using just enough so the mixture forms a stiff paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add the honey and salt, and blend until the mixture has the consistency of a thick walnut butter. If it seems too stiff to spread easily, add a tablespoon or two of water. Set aside.
  4. To form the agnolotti, place one-third of the won ton wrappers or pasta rounds on your work surface and mound about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each. Bush the edges of the dough with water, then fold the rounds in half to enclose the filling snugly. Press firmly around the edges to seal. Set aside on a floured surface. Fill the remaining won ton wrappers or pasta rounds the same way.
  5. When you are ready to serve, place a large platter in a low oven to warm. Bring at least 8 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the agnolotti and boil 2 – 3 minutes, or until they begin to float to the surface and are al dente. While the agnolotti boil, spread the walnut butter on the warm platter and sprinkle it with half each of the goat cheese, figs and sage chiffonade. Using a skimmer or a strainer, lift the agnolotti from the boiling water and carefully transfer them to the platter. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining goat cheese, figs and sage chiffonade. Garnish with whole sage leaves and serve immediately.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 426
  • Total Fat: 28 g
  • Saturated Fat: 7 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat: 10 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 23 mg
  • Sodium: 373 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 35 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 12 g