Any kind of pasta makes me happy but this one makes me really really happy. They are filled with roasted squash and creamy goats cheese and tossed and some ground almonds in some brown butter with crispy sage and hazelnuts or almonds. the method of folding them like culurgiones looks really technical but it is so easy. I watched this video here.

it is basically like fancy ravioli or tortellini, the filling is traditionally potato cheese and dried mint and served in a tomato sauce, but they can be filled with anything really. roasted squash is one of my favourite fillings for pasta. I suppose the first week of January is the wrong week to be sharing a carb heavy recipe as every one wants to be starting their diets but oh well. I have made these a few times and the last time with with pomodoro sauce and it was delicious.

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy new year and to let you know how grateful I am for your continued following and support.

pasta dough

• 300g plain flour (or tippo 00)
• 2 eggs and 4 yolks
• tsp olive oil

filling

• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 sprig of rosemary and thyme
• 1 clove from 1 bulb of garlic (you can add two if it is a small one)
• 150g soft goats cheese or ricotta what ever is your preference
• 1/2 cup finely ground almonds
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
• grating of nutmeg

preheat the oven to 180c

cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over rosemary and thyme and place on tray with one garlic clove or cloves (keep the skin on the clove) roast for 1 hour until tender then scoop out flesh and add into a food processor with the herbs and cut open the garlic clove and squeeze out the insides.  then add the goats cheese and puree and mix with the parmesan and almonds then mix in some grated nut meg and some salt and pepper, chill while you make the pasta.

To make the pasta dough you can either use a food processor or do it by hand, to make it by hand, make a heaped pile with the flour on the worktop and make a hole in the centre and add the yolks and eggs and mix with a fork gradually bringing in the flour, once all mixed press into a ball, knead for 5 minutes and cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Cut into 4 and flour the dough and pasta machine, take one piece and flatten it and roll through a pasta machine on its widest setting, fold in half and roll through and fold again then roll through working your way through until its nice and thin. cut out circles and add a spoon full of filling and pleat together. to do his see videos on you tube.  cook by adding to boiling water and boiling for 4 minutes, brown some butter in a pan with a small bunch of sage and some sliced nuts like hazelnuts then add the pasta and Sautee for a minutes or two to coat then enjoy with some grated parmesan and some salt and pepper.