Swiss chard raviolis with kabocha and cheese stuffing

Honestly, I don’t get the urge to make pasta from scratch very often; but when the desire wells up, it is irrepressible! Must be my departed  great-nonna, Celeste, a native of Trieste, who is scolding me and I want to please her. Well. I hope she is pleased: this is yummy and very filling.

Swiss chard raviolis:

• 1/2 cup of steamed or boiled swiss chard (remove stalks and keep leaves), chopped
• 2 Large eggs
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Filling:

• 1 Kabocha squash (can replace with butternut or pumpkin)
• 8 ounces of parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• salt, pepper, nutmeg
• 1 onion, chopped fine

Sauce:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 handful of hazelnuts, toasted
• 1  handful of fresh sage leaves
• salt, pepper

METHOD: Make the pasta:

1. Squeeze the swiss chard well, to remove as much water as possible.
2. Place the swiss chard in a food processor with the two eggs; process until the chard is chopped very fine and the mixture is well mixed, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the flour and salt; process for a minute or so, add the oil and keep processing until the mixture forms a ball. Remove and place on a floured cutting board or work surface. Knead briefly, place in a small bowl, cover with plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight.

Make the raviolis:

1. Place the kabocha squash in the oven at 350F for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the squash can go in easily. Remove from the oven, cut open and remove the seeds; scrape the flesh and place in a bowl. Fry the onion in a little oil till soft. Add to the squash and season it. Add the parmesan, the eggs and mix well. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

1. Flour a work surface and roll the pasta out; it can be rolled out with a rolling pin or a pasta machine; it needs to be thin and then cut in rectangular shapes; place 1/2 tablespoon of filling placing them one inch apart and cover with more pasta to enclose; press all corners well and cut with a pizza cutter or a ravioli cutter. Place on a piece of foil until ready to boil.

1. Boil some salted water with a teaspoon of oil, drop the raviolis in it and boil for 2 minutes until they come up to the surface; remove with a spoon and drop in a bowl.

1. Heat some butter in a skillet, add the sage leaves, fry for 30 seconds then add the raviolis and mix in with the butter and sage leaves; add the chopped hazelnuts and heat for a couple of minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve.

NOTE: If the pasta is not moist, then use a brush and some water to help the sides stick when cutting the ravioli shapes.