Thursday 24 November 2011

Butternut Squash & Feta Ravioli

V  Well, I finally did it ... I made my own pasta! We've had a pasta machine for a couple of years, but only made one half-hearted attempt at making tagliatelle (with the wrong flour!) which was pretty disastrous, although quite amusing! This time, however, I used the right flour and followed this recipe and it was absolutely delicious! Served with mixed baby salad leaves and sliced avocado, with a simple lemon juice/olive oil dressing and topped with croutons (made from Warren's own bread ... how homemade can a meal get???) it was a scrumptious meal we will certainly be having again!




I couldn't get a sweet potato, so I roasted a tiny butternut squash instead and substituted some left-over feta that was in the fridge for the goat's cheese (which I'm not a huge fan of); the result was heavenly! The sweetness of the roasted squash, the sharp saltiness of the feta and the heat from the drizzle of chilli oil (go sparingly with this!!) were a magical combination ... all set off by the beautiful soft and thin pasta and a few shards of Parmesan. Totally, totally yummy!

If you've never made your own pasta before, I urge you to give it a go ... you don't even need a pasta machine! This recipe makes it incredibly easy and the result is far superior to any bought pasta, even the good fresh stuff. You need plenty of time and lots of space (especially if you're a novice, like me!) but otherwise it's a very simple process and I'm sure would become much, much quicker with a little experience. Definitely worth a go!