Sage Walnut Butter Recipes

RAVIOLI WITH SAGE-WALNUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine the vinegar, honey and bay leaf in a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Cover to keep warm.
• Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the sage and walnuts and cook until the nuts are toasted, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, ladle in about 1 cup cooking water and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Drain the ravioli, reserving another 1/2 cup cooking water. Add the ravioli to the skillet and toss to coat, adding the reserved water as needed. Remove from the heat, toss with the parmesan and season with salt. Divide the ravioli among plates and drizzle with the balsamic syrup.

SAGE-WALNUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey and a bay leaf in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until syrupy, 5 minutes. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1/3 cup sage leaves and 1 cup chopped walnuts; cook 3 minutes. Add 1 cup pasta-cooking water and cook until reduced by half, 2 minutes. Toss with 1 pound cooked tortellini, some grated parmesan and salt. Drizzle with the balsamic syrup.

CREAMY SAGE BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; add the sage leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth and cook until hot; about 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CANNELLONI WITH SAGE-WALNUT CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• To make filling, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet with sides over medium heat. Add onion; cook until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add squash cubes; cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 cup water. Reduce heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 20 minutes.
• Mash mixture with potato masher or wooden spoon, and transfer to a medium bowl to cool. When cool, stir in Parmesan and ricotta. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to assemble.
• Wash the spinach or greens well. Remove and discard stems. Roughly chop spinach into smaller pieces. Heat remaining tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spinach a little at a time; cook, tossing, until wilted and any liquid has evaporated. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the olive oil and remaining tablespoon coarse salt. One at a time, add pasta sheets to boiling water, and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's instructions. Remove the pasta sheets with tongs, and drain them in a colander.
• To assemble the cannelloni, lay out the pasta sheets on work surface. Spoon about 1/2 cup filling down the center of a sheet, and top with a heaping tablespoon of spinach. Brush one long side of pasta with water, roll up, starting with other long side, and seal. Repeat with the remaining pasta and filling. Spread half of the sage-walnut cream sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish. Place the cannelloni in the bottom of the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Garnish with a few sage leaves. Bake until top starts to brown and filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve.

BUTTER, FRESH SAGE, AND WALNUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt the butter over medium-high heat in the skillet, and scatter the sage leaves around the pan.
• When the butter begins to sizzle, drop the chopped walnuts in a hot spot. Toast them, stirring them in the butter for a minute or so, until they start to turn light brown.
• Ladle in 1 cup of pasta-cooking water. Cook at an active simmer for about 3 minutes, to develop flavor and thicken the sauce.
• Finish sauce with cooked pasta, tossing and cooking together over low heat (for details, see page 105). Off the heat, toss pasta with the freshly grated cheese just before serving.
• My favorite-fresh Buckwheat Pasta with Walnuts (page 173), cut in lacce (shoestrings). Also, whole-wheat, flaxseed, cornmeal, and barley pasta. Yes, and dry spaghetti is good when no fresh pasta is around.

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH SAGE WALNUT PUMPKIN BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pumpkin on pan, cut sides up, drizzle with olive oil and generously season with brown sugar, salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, or until soft. Allow to cool slightly.
• Scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin into the bowl of a food processor. Add egg and nutmeg, and purée until smooth. You should have about 3 cups (1 ½ pounds) purée total. Set aside 1/3 cup pumpkin purée for the sauce.
• Dust a work surface with semolina flour. Lay out a sheet of pasta, then place 2 teaspoons of filling every few inches. Brush around the filling with water, then place a second pasta sheet over the top. Press the top sheet of pasta down around the mounds of filling. Cut 2 ½-inch square ravioli with a large ravioli stamp or sharp knife, trimming as needed, and crimp around the edges with a fork to seal individual raviolis.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with salt. Drop in ravioli a few at a time and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft but still al dente. Set aside ¼ cup pasta cooking water, then use a large slotted spoon to remove the cooked ravioli to a plate.
• Make the sauce: Heat the butter, sage and walnuts in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter browns, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved 1/3 cup pumpkin filling, a few grinds of nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and sizzling, then add 2 tablespoons reserved pasta cooking water, stirring until sauce is glossy and smooth; thin with additional pasta water if desired. Spoon sauce onto plates and top with ravioli and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

SAGE-WALNUT CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When bubbling, add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, for 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
• Remove pan from heat; stir in cream, sage, walnuts, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cover; set aside to infuse for 30 minutes.

PASTA WITH BUTTER, SAGE AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt it. Cook pasta until it is tender, but not quite done.
• Meanwhile, place butter in a skillet or saucepan large enough to hold the cooked pasta; turn heat to medium, and add sage. Cook until butter turns nut-brown and sage shrivels, then turn heat to a minimum.
• When the pasta is just about done, scoop out a cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta. Immediately add it to the butter-sage mixture, and raise heat to medium. Add 3/4 cup of the water, and stir; the mixture will be loose and a little soupy. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until some of the water is absorbed and the pasta is perfectly done.
• Stir in cheese; the sauce will become creamy. Thin it with a little more water if necessary. Season liberally with pepper and salt to taste, and serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table if you like.