Pumpkin Goat Cheese Ravioli

Those who know me know that I’m a huge goat cheese lover, and I have a hard time resisting any recipe that has the words goat cheese in the title. So naturally, I was thrilled when I was contacted by Belle Chevre and asked to participate in their blog party for goat cheese!

Belle Chevre is a small, female-run business in Alabama that has been hand-crafting internationally acclaimed goat cheese for 20 years. They are very passionate about their products (which include flavours I’ve never even heard of, like coffee goat cheese!) but unfortunately they’re being kicked off their land in 2013, so they started the Kickstarter Project to help fund a new creamery. I’m happy to help raise awareness of their project but also to share my love of goat cheese and this delicious recipe with all of you!

I’ve been wanting to make my own ravioli for a while now, and when I saw some fresh lasagna sheets at my favourite Italian deli recently, I decided now was the perfect time! I knew I wanted to make a pumpkin-filled ravioli because I’m not nearly done with pumpkin recipes yet, but that’s all I knew at first.

Since pumpkin on its own can be pretty bland in pasta dishes, I knew I had to add something to liven it up a bit. It wasn’t long before I realized that goat cheese would be just the thing to give the ravioli an added dimension of flavour and creaminess.

To highlight the flavours of the filling, I decided a simple drizzle of olive oil and some freshly grated parmesan would be the perfect complement to top off the dish, and I was right! The ravioli came out looking and tasting so professional, but they were actually quite easy and fun to make. And it’s a good thing I loved them so much because I had enough to last for about 4 dinners in a row! I looked forward to eating them all to myself every night but they’d also be the perfect dish to make for someone you love (or want to impress)!

Pumpkin Goat Cheese Ravioli

Filling adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Makes 24 raviolis – Feeds 4-5 people

Ingredients:

15 oz pumpkin (about half a 796 mL can)

4 oz goat cheese

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh sage

8 fresh lasagna sheets (8.5” by 6”)

Olive oil

Freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, goat cheese, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and sage until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Lay one lasagna sheet flat on a sheet of parchment paper (to prevent sticking). Brush surface of the lasagna sheet with water. Place rounded tablespoons of the pumpkin filling on the pasta, about 1 inch apart. If using 8.5” by 6” lasagna sheets, you should be able to fit two rows of three mounds of filling (6 mounds per sheet).

Brush the surface of a second, equally-sized lasagna sheet with water and gently lay over the filling (the water will help the pasta stick together). Press the two sheets together around the filling, starting at the center and working your way out to secure the edges.

Use a pastry cutter, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to divide into 6 ravioli. For each ravioli, brush the edges with water and use the tines of a fork to press the edges together.

If you find the above method too difficult, you could also divide the lasagna sheet in half first, then only place three mounds of filling over one half, top with the other half, press together and divide as before.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add salt and a teaspoon of olive oil so the pasta won’t stick together. Gently add about 6 ravioli to the pot at a time and cook until edges are al dente, about 5-7 minutes. Make sure none of the pasta is sticking to the bottom of the pan, as this could cause the pasta to tear and release the filling. Remove with a slotted spoon to a warmed plate.

Top with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated parmesan. Serve warm and enjoy!