Butternut squash ravioli

Starter for 4 persons -2 large ravioli each

Butternut squash ravioli, puree of Jerusalem artichoke, confit of cherry tomato, sweet potato crisps, limoncello foam, herb oil and sweet baby basil.  This recipe is best made with a pasta maker although it can be done without.

Requires:

For the stuffing:
2 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 butternut squash
100g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra for serving
1/2 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
salt and black pepper, to season

For the Artichoke puree:
250gms of Jerusalem artichoke
1 shallot
1 clove of garlic
75ml of vegetable stock
1 tbls of double cream
1/2 tbls of olive oil

For the pasta:
200g ‘00′ flour
2 large Eggs
Salt, for seasoning
1 tsp Olive oil

For the seal:
2 egg yolks, beaten

For the foam:
250 ml vegetable stock
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
50 ml milk
50 ml of double cream
100 ml limoncello
Tsp olive oil
2 grams of Lithethin

For the garnish:
oil, for deep frying
thin slices of sweet potato
small bunch of mini basil
12 confit cherry tomatoes

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5.
2. To make the stuffing; cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and brush with the olive oil.
3. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes until very soft.
4. Put in the fridge to cool.
5. Remove the skin from the squash and combine the flesh with the cheese, nutmeg, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and fill a piping bag with a large nozzle.
6. For the confit tomatoes; score around the skin about 2/3rds the way up of the cherry tomatoes.  Blanch in boiling water and pull the skin of the top half of the tomato up to form an umbrella and remove bottom skin.  Make vinaigrette flavoured with vanilla and put in to a dish and sit the tomatoes in this mixture so that the liquid covers cherry tomato flesh. Put in fridge over night and take out next day keeping in cool place to allow skin to dry.
7. For the Jerusalem artichokes; roughly chop the shallot and garlic and sweat in a little butter. Peel the artichokes and roughly chop adding them to the shallot mixture.  Add the stock and cook until tender.  Puree when ready with the olive oil  adding the cream at the last moment.
8. To make the pasta; put the flour, eggs and salt and olive oil into a food processor and mix until the texture is like breadcrumbs. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly to form soft dough.   Wrap in cling film and put into the fridge to rest and chill for 30 mins.
9. Divide the dough into 4 and roll each out into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick.  If using a pasta machine pass each piece 7 times through it keeping the same setting.  Then pass each piece through the machine 5 times starting at its widest setting.  After each pass the setting will automatically become narrower until the correct thickness is obtained.
10. Take the sheet of pasta dough and lay on top of a well floured table or marble surface. Cut the sheet in half.  Keeping one inch from all the edges, pipe about 4 tablespoons of the squash mixture onto the pasta spacing them about two inches apart.
11. Carefully brush beaten egg along the edges of the pasta and the areas in between the filling.  Now take another sheet of past and carefully lay it on top, pushing down around the filling.  Cut the pasta into even sized raviolis about 2 ½ inch square.
12. Repeat this to make another 4 ravioli.
13. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large pan to 160C and cook the sweet potato slices for a minute or two until crisp. Remove the slices with a slotted spoon and leave to cool.
14. Finely chop the garlic and shallot and sweat in a little butter. Add the stock and heat adding the milk, cream and limoncello. Add the Lecithin and froth the liquid until it is foaming, using a whisk or an electric ‘aerator’.
15. Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large pan of simmering water for about 2 to 3 minutes.
16. On each plate put a dollop of the Jerusalem artichoke puree and place on this the cooked ravioli. Space evenly around this the tomato confit and spoon on the linoncello froth.  Decorate with a piece of the fried sweet potato and the fresh leaves of basil and oil.