butternut squash and red pepper ravioli in a sage butter sauce.

I love making homemade pasta. There is just such a richness to the finished result, which makes it a very special treat indeed. It’s a labour of love and I always enjoy thinking up ideas for ravioli and tortellini fillings as well as sauces for fresh spaghetti and pappardelle.

In creating a recipe with Bertolli, it made sense to use it as an opportunity to embrace real, fresh pasta and Italian inspiration. On their recipe page they have a whole host of warming and wintry pasta dish ideas too. From classic spaghetti bolognese to macaroni cheese with prosciutto and leeks, I was drawn to their inviting Penne with Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Chilli. I was instantly inspired to recreate a dish with the same delicious flavours.

In this case it had to be Autumnal; with sweet butternut squash and roasted red peppers at the centre of the dish. The luxurious, silky sauce is enriched with Bertolli with Butter and flavoured with aromatic sage and the crunch of toasted butternut squash seeds. Their butter is so versatile too, making for great pasta dishes, as part of cooking or simply layered on some warm, crusty bread. Here the buttery sauce adds extra flavour, which laces the ravioli beautifully. It’s also part of the filling mix, for that extra hint of luxury.

Shopping list. 
For the pasta 
♥ 100g 00 pasta flour 
♥ One free range egg 
♥ Pinch of salt 

For the filling 
♥ A small butternut squash, ends removed and chopped into 1 inch cubes  (keep the seeds for garnish)
♥ One red pepper, sliced and de-seeded
♥  One tbsp Bertolli with Butter

For the sauce 
♥ One large tbsp Bertolli with Butter 
♥ A handful of fresh sage

Step one. Season and roast together the red pepper and butternut squash (including the seeds) for around 45 minutes on a medium heat.

Step two. Make pasta dough according to my step by step pasta recipe. Set aside.

Step three. When the pepper and squash are cooked, take out the butternut squash seeds and blitz in a food processor. Season if required and stir through the butter.

Step four. Roll out your pasta dough on a flour surface, or using a pasta machine. Add a tsp of the filling and cut out shapes (see below for pictures). You should be able to make around 10-12 depending on the size of your cutter. Set aside.

Step five.  Make your sauce by melting together the butter, sage and seeds on a low heat.

Step six. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the ravioli for around 2-3 minutes. It will take less time than dry pasta and is ready when the pasta floats to the top. Toss together the buttery sauce with the ravioli and top with extra cracked black pepper. Enjoy!