Butternut Squash Ravioli

With the year coming to an end, the season for pumpkin and squash is finally here. I have to say I was practically jumping for joy when I saw the first cardboard box filled with butternut squash at Trader Joe's. With Halloween past and Thanksgiving just around the corner, I can't help but think of all the delicious food to be made and eaten during this holiday season. My first stop? Butternut squash ravioli -- creamy yet sweet filling, with a savory and crunchy sauce to accompany. Using fresh pasta sheets is what truly puts this recipe on the map. 

Introduction to Fresh Pasta: a tribute to Philadelphia

Living in Philadelphia for four years brought out the foodie in me. Although many know the city of brotherly love for it's Philly cheese steak, Philly is a true foodie paradise with so much more to offer than a meat hoagie with cheese whiz. It is a compact walkable city with anything and everything you could think of from food carts to hole-in-the-wall restaurants to gastropubs to affordable fine dining. Philadelphia was my introduction to real Italian food, to Di Bruno Bros and Capogiro gelato, to fresh pasta, and not to mention, to the love of my life. But we will save that story for another time. Today we talk of pasta, not those bow-ties that come in a box, but REAL pasta -- fresh handmade pasta. Silky smooth in texture, with a delicate bite, fresh pasta is much lighter than dried box pasta. It is a compilation of different types of flours, egg, and water. I've made different pasta recipes before, but when my friend Brian introduced me to this recipe by Marc Vetri, there was no going back. Vetri is one of the most renowned Italian chefs in Philly and has opened 6 restaurants, of which Vetri is the most well known. Unfortunately I have not had the pleasure of dining at Vetri, but it is most definitely on my must try list.