Pumpkin Ravioli

I spent this past weekend with Austin's family down in Moab, Utah.  I know a lot of people like to complain about their in-laws, but you're not going to hear it from me (I know, they're technically not in-laws).  Since Austin and I started dating just shortly after we started driving, I feel like I really grew up with his family too.  I feel comfortable around them.  And living in DC and now Boulder, I miss being around them.

Which is one reason why I really really love fall.  If it's fall, it means it's almost time for the holidays.  And if it's time for the holidays, it's time to go home and visit family - my own and Austin's!

So I fully embrace fall.  I love the leaves changing color, the crisp air, and the comfort food!  I start to cook almost exclusively with apples, sweet potatoes, and cranberries.  I also consume most meals in soup form.  I take more time out of the day to just sit and relax while watching a football/hockey game or reading a book.

While during the summer, you would be pretty hard-pressed to get me to spend more than 1 hour to make dinner because I "should" be outside doing "something else;" in the fall, I will gladly pinch together little raviolis stuffed with pumpkin filling with music in the background for hours on end.

Not that these raviolis will actually take you that long.  Because you can just use wonton wrappers from your grocery store (I found them by the fresh herbs and mushrooms), you can cut out the biggest hassle: making your own pasta.  And also, I'm probably just slow at pinching them together.  You'll do better, I know it!

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI (serves 6)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 leek
2 garlic cloves
15 oz. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. shredded parmesan
1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 package wonton wrappers, cut into quarters
For the Sauce: 
6 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sage, chopped
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
For Serving:
1 c. arugula
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1/4 c. pecans, chopped

1.  Sauté the white part of the leek (chopped) and garlic in the butter.  Stir in pumpkin, cheese, nutmeg and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.

2.  On each square of wonton wrapper, place 1 tsp. of the pumpkin filling.  Brush the edges of the wonton wrapper with water then lay another square over the top and pinch the edges closed.  Repeat until you have filled all of the wonton wrappers.  Lay flat on a sheet of parchment paper until you are ready to cook them.

3.  Boil water.

4.  While the water is boiling, in a small saucepan, melt the 6 Tbsp. butter.  Stir in salt, sage and heavy cream.  Reduce heat to low until ready to serve.

5.  To cook, drop ravioli into boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface (about 3-4 minutes).  Drain.

6.  Serve ravioli with arugula, parmesan, pecans, and spoon some of the butter sage sauce over the top.

**Freezing instructions: freeze in single layers (you can stack layers of parchment paper with ravioli on top of each other) in a plastic bag.  When you are ready to eat the frozen ravioli, remove from freezer directly into boiling water.  Cook until ravioli float to the top of the water.  Drain and serve.**

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