Sweet Potato Ravioli with Garlicky Basil Oil

One of my fave Italian dishes is butternut squash ravioli with sage butter sauce. Kind of tough to eat if you’re trying to avoid dairy. I found a very simple fresh pasta recipe using only flour, water, and salt. Although these are basically the same ingredients as paper mache, it’s no indication of how they’ll turn out.

I was so surprised how soft and chewy the ravioli was. The texture was amazing, and the filling combined with the garlic oil was a fabulous sweet and savory pairing. I only had sweet potatoes on hand, but next time I’d substitute the filling with butternut squash. It’s such a simple, delicious, pasta to make. This is definitely a repeat dish.

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Garlicky Basil Oil

The Pasta (Courtesy of Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin)

2  cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup warm water

The Filling

2 sweet potatoes roasted until completely soft

1 T butter, melted

2 T panko

1/2 T nutritional yeast (optional)

salt & pepper

Garlicky Basil Oil (for 1-2 servings)

2 T extra virgin olive oil

handful fresh basil leaves

1-2 garlic cloves sliced

salt & pepper

Make the Pasta

1. Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly stir in the warm water with a fork until the dough turns stiff. If the dough is not coming together, you may need to add a little more warm water. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 12 minutes. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let stand for 20 minutes.

2. Divide the dough in half.

I rolled out my dough with a KitchenAid stand mixer with the pasta roller attachment. Since receiving this mixer as a wedding gift (thank you Cohens), I haven’t picked up a rolling-pin. In fact, I don’t even know where mine is.

3. Flatten one of the dough halves and run it through the pasta roller on the largest setting (level 1).

KitchenAid Pasta Roller Attachment

Check out this link to see techniques for using the KitchenAid pasta roller attachment. Of course, you can go old school and use the pin, but I swear by my attachment. It’s easy, less messy, and rolls out the smoothest, most even pasta ever. KitchenAid also makes a ravioli attachment. I have to get that toy next!!

Make the filling

1. Scoop potato from the skin. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor. Season to taste.

Sweet Potato Puree

2. Cut the dough into approx 3″ squares. Add 1 tsp of the filling to one side. Using a pastry brush, brush all sides of the square with warm water. Fold over sand seal. Crimp all sides of the ravioli using a fork to close the two sides together. Be careful to keep the filling in the middle of the square so you get a good seal and the filling doesn’t leak out the sides.

Crimping Ravioli

3. Place the finished ravioli on a floured sheet pan with a towel over them. Continue until you’ve used up all the dough. Or, make a portion into ravioli, and use the rest to make linguine, spaghetti etc.

4. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt until it literally tastes like salt water. Cook the ravioli for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Make the Garlicky Basil Oil

1. In a small saute pan over medium heat, add extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, add garlic slices and pinch of salt.  Fry until golden brown, being careful not to burn the garlic or the oil.

2. Drain garlic slices on paper towel. Add basil leaves and pinch of salt. Fry until crispy. Remove oil from heat. Add drained ravioli and carefully move around until covered.

Garlicky Basil Oil

3. Plate the ravioli garnished with fried garlic, basil leaves and fresh ground pepper.

Sweet Potation Ravioli with Garlicky Basil Oil

Pasta recipe – Wonton Wrappers from Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin