September 22. At some point in the night, Autumn arrived.
Are you ready?
Being that my house has "Happy Fall Y'all" signs set up, harvest scented candles about, and beloved pictures of my babies amidst pumpkin patches displayed......I'd say I most certainly am.
I'll miss summer without a doubt, it is my favorite season.....I was a teacher, remember ;)
But Fall is here and let's embrace it. The decorations are great, I know.....we all love a good haystack, Mums on your doorstep kinda look. But the food! That's where its at, y'all! (If I may say y'all again lol).
Pumpkin bread, hearty chili, apple fritters. Bring.it.on. And so it goes with this dish. Butternut Squash ravioli with spicy sausage & spinach, all dazzled up in a Rosé sauce. Screams fall to me. Well.....minus the Rosé part! To be honest, that was a game time decision because I didn't have a dry white opened to cook with. And surprise, that pink wine was the perfect addition to my sauce. A teeny bit sweeter than it would have been with a chardonnay or Pinot, it offset the heat from the sausage perfectly so.
And while the Rosé sauce would grab most attentions, for me, the butternut squash ravioli were the real stars. Wegman's brand ravioli really impressed. The filling was pure squash and generous amounts to boot. Another sweet note to round out the dish.
All in all, we were smitten with this meal. It may have finished off my last Rosé for the year, but you know what is even better than a summer wine? A rich Pinot Noir to sip while snuggled in a sweatshirt outside in the crisp Fall air. And naturally, with a dish like this before you. :) Enjoy......
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Spicy Sausage & Spinach in a Rosé Butter sauce
Serves: 2 as dinner, 4 as app
Ingredients:
1 9oz package, butternut squash ravioli (recommend Wegman’s brand)
2 spicy sausage links, casings removed (recommend Premio brand)
1 small shallot, minced
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
4 TBS unsalted butter, divided
1/2 C dry Rosé wine, chardonnay or pinot grigio would work too!
2 C baby spinach, about 1/2 of 6oz bag
salt, to taste
fresh cracked pepper, to taste
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggianno or Pecorino Cheese
Boil a large pot of salted water for ravioli, cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon frequently, so that you are left with pea-size crumbles. Once they are cooked though and browned, remove sausage to a separate bowl using a slotted spoon so that grease from sausage remains.
To that, add 2 TBS unsalted butter, shallots and a heavy pinch salt and pepper. Stir and cook over medium low-medium heat for about 5-6 minutes or until shallots are softened and translucent.
Add rosé and adjust heat to high, bring to boil then reduce heat to get a simmer. Let simmer and reduce for about 3-5 minutes.
Add sausage back to skillet, stir around and then add spinach atop. Cover over low heat and let spinach wilt and cook down, about 2-3 minutes.
Remove lid, add 2 TBS unsalted butter, 1/4 C pasta water (scoop it right from ravioli pot), another pinch salt and pepper and stir well.
Once ravioli are done cooking, add directly to skillet and toss to combine.
Top with a generous shower of Parmigiano or Pecorino Cheese.
Enjoy!