Shakshuka with Feta

Shakshuka is one of our favorite indulgences and we enjoy it at any meal. On a cool crisp morning camping in our Airstream, or for a light dinner paired with Naan and a good beer. And if you want some fun conversation to accompany your meal, look up the origins. At least five countries claim the dish - once you try it you will know why. This is our favorite version, straight from the NY Times. Cheers!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
¾ teaspoon salt, more as needed
¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
6 large eggs
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Hot sauce, for serving

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in crumbled feta.

Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce.

Pro Tip: If you are making enough for leftovers, crack only the eggs you plan on eating into the pan before baking. Then save the veggies + feta for the next day and add new eggs. Otherwise you can carefully transport the eggs into a container and reheat but it takes a bit of effort. :) 

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli Sauce

One of our favorite quick week-night dinners is Oregon Shrimp or Crab Cakes from Whole Foods paired with a great sauce and salad. They use only MSC certified fish so they are delicious and sustainably raised. Many specialty grocers carry other versions as well. They key for any crab cakes is the sauce and this Dunn family original is fantastic.

3/4 cup good mayonnaise
12oz jar roasted red bell peppers
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 - 1 tsp Secret Aardvark habanero hot sauce (plus more to taste)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Dash Salt
Dash Pepper

Add all ingredients in a blender then mix until well blended. Start here as you can always adjust seasonings to taste later. Aardvark sauce is sold in many specialty markets near the sauces. We make our sauce on the mild-medium spectrum then let guests add more if they prefer more heat. You can also use freshly roasted peppers and start with 1 1/2 cups then adjust to taste.

Pairs extraordinarily well with a dry reisling or chardonnay. Gin & Tonics are great too!

Cracked Crab Enchiladas

In the winter, Oregon's bounty is Dungeness Crab. There are so many delectable ways to prepare it and these cracked crab enchiladas are phenomenal. It's also a family affair to crack the crab which makes preparation that much more fun. Serve them for brunch, lunch or dinner with mixed greens. The chipolte-cream cheese sauce can be used for multiple purposes, over crab cakes, as a dip or the daring can try it over a seafood fettucini. This is adapted from a Chevy's Restaurant recipe. Serves 6.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup stemmed, seeded and diced red peppers
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 recipe Chipotle-Cream Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
8 oz Dungeness crabmeat
Salt & Pepper
6-12 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups queso fresco
Avacado to garnish (optional)

To make the filling:
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until clear. Add the garlic, red peppers and green onions and saute for 30 seconds or until soft. Add 1/2 cup of the Chipotle-Cream Cheese Sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and folk in the crabmeat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the enchiladas:
Preheat the oven to 375. Lay 4-6 of the tortillas on a baking sheet and place in teh over for 3-4 minutes to warm and soften. Set a tortilla on your work surface and spoon about 1/3 cup of filling in a line down the center of the tortilla. Loosely roll up the tortilla and place them in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining Chipotle-Cream Cheese sauce and sprinkle the queso fresco over the top. Garnish with optional avacado.

To make the Chipotle-Cream Cheese Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1 tsp minced jalapeno (seeded for mild flavor)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced Chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (seeded for milder flavor)
1 cup heavy cream (half and half is OK)
4 oz cream cheese (light cream cheese is OK)
1/2 cup grated Tillamook Monterey Jack cheese

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the jalapeno, garlic, and bell pepper and saute until soft. Add the oregano, salt, cumin, and Chipotle. Decrease the heat to low, add the heavy cream, cream cheese, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the jack cheese, stirring until melted and well incorporated. Keep warm over the lowest heat till used.

Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

Being well nourished means eating very well and leveraging what is in season in the most delicious ways. Butternut squash is such a heavenly vegetable and this recipe perfectly represents its versatility. We warn you that this recipe is not low in fat, but it is full of whole, fresh ingredients. You can omit the pancetta for a vegetarian option. The depth of flavor is remarkable when you add it though. Risotto takes a fair amount of time and attention but is worth every minute of the wait. And yes, this is another Ina Garten masterpiece.

1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine (use your favorite Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay)
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.

Roasted Vegetable Soup

Recipes that can be used in multiple ways are always a treat. During the holidays, a fantastic accompaniment are roasted winter vegetables, and they are extremely easy to prepare. The leftover vegetables are even better when used as the base for a delicious soup. Flavors this good can only come from the master, Ina Garten! The small substitution we make is to use 1 large onion in lieu for 1 lb of carrots. Carrots would make it more sweet while the onion is more savory.

Soup Ingredients:
3 to 4 cups vegetable stock (homemade is best)
1 quart Roasted Winter Vegetables, recipe follows
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped flat leaf parsley (for garnish)

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat 3 cups of chicken stock. In 2 batches, coarsely puree the roasted vegetables and the chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pour the soup back into the pot and season, to taste. Thin with more chicken stock and reheat. The soup should be thick but not like a vegetable puree, so add more chicken stock and/or water until it's the consistency you like.
Garnish with parsley.

Roasted Winter Vegetables:
1 large onion, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the onion, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1- to 1 1/4-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.

Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

Irish Bread Pudding with Caramel Whiskey Sauce

Here is a special holiday dessert that has won many raves by friends and family. Serve it with espresso or a traditional cup of earl grey and enjoy! It is adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

Bread Pudding
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (10-ounce) French bread baguette, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Caramel Whiskey Sauce
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup light butter
2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel) (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

Caramel Whiskey Sauce Preparation
Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk (mixture will be hot and bubble vigorously). Cool slightly, and stir in whiskey and milk.
Note: Substitute 1 tablespoon imitation rum extract and 3 tablespoons water for the Irish whiskey, if desired.

Bread Pudding Preparation
Brush melted butter on one side of French bread slices, and place bread, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake bread at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes, and set aside.

Combine 1% milk and next 4 ingredients (1% milk through eggs) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add bread cubes and whiskey, pressing gently to moisten; let stand 15 minutes. Spoon bread mixture into a buttered 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pudding. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until set. Serve warm with Caramel-Whiskey Sauce.
Note: Substitute 1/4 cup apple juice for the Irish whiskey, if desired.

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean soup is such a treat on a cloudy and cold day in the Pacific Northwest. You can serve this with sweet corn bread or a salad. This is best when the black beans have been soaked with allspice and cayenne but for those in a rush, you can use organic canned black beans. This is another soup recipe from Susy's college days, adapted from the original Moosewood Cookbook.

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2 diced medium carrots
2 cups dried black beans or (2-3 15-oz cans)
6 cups water (start with 4 if using canned beans)
Dash Allspice for soaking & dash within the soup
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large russet potato, diced
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Dash sweet paprika
1 can Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes (optional)

Optional Toppings:
Sour Cream
Cilantro
Cotija Cheese

To prepare the dried beans, rinse then soak in 6 cups of water 4-6 hours or overnight in allspice and cayenne. Place the soaked beans in a large soup pot with 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until tender about 1 1/2 hours.

Heat butter in a medium sized skillet. Add the onion, garlic and carrots. Saute over medium heat until the carrots are just tender. Add the potato, cumin, coriander and salt. Saute until the potatoes are tender, about 10 -15 minutes more. Add the sauteed mixture to the beans.

Puree some (or all) of the soup in a blender or food processor to make it extra rich and creamy. Return to the soup-pot, simmer over very low heat 10-15 minutes more. Serve topped with sour cream, cotija and/or cilantro.

Sweet Corn Bread

This is an ultimate comfort food in our house. This corn bread is sweet, light and very almost like a corn-cake. It's important to use a ceramic, porcelain or stone baking pan. Glass or metal will not produce the same results. This is the Alber Corn Meal recipe, but we use Bob's Red Mill or other organic brands versus Alber's.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

COMBINE flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, eggs, vegetable oil and butter in small bowl; mix well. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

James' Guinness Spiked Chili

James has created the ultimate beef chili that is simple yet rich and spicy. It pairs wonderfully with a pint of Guinness, corn bread and salad. It was adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe. It will easily serve 10-12 people so invite your friends, family and enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
4 pounds ground chuck (have the butcher grind a roast for the best flavor)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 1/2 pounds onions, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds yellow bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large jalapeño chiles with seeds, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
7 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons (packed) minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce*
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes with added puree (Muir Glen is best)
3 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained
1 12-ounce bottle Guinness (draught style)
Sour cream
Chopped green onions
Coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (Tillamook or Seaside)

Preparation
Toast cumin and coriander in skillet over medium heat until darker and beginning to smoke, about 4 minutes. Cool.

Sauté beef in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink, breaking up with spoon, about 8 minutes. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, all bell peppers, and jalapeños. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Add mixture to pot with meat. Mix in toasted spices, chili powder, and chipotle chiles. Add crushed tomatoes, beans, and beer. Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with sour cream, green onions, and cheese.

Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated up to 2 days (or freeze up to 1 month). Rewarm over medium-low heat.

Ina's Salad with Warm Goat Cheese

Imagine a world without goat cheese. Susy shudders at the mere thought of it! For other goat cheese enthusiasts, you must try this recipe. Ina Garten strikes gold again with this culinary delight. Note: Be careful when cooking the goat cheese to not use too much oil and to be attentive so it doesn't burn.

1 (11-ounce) log plain or herbed Goat Cheese
2 extra-large egg whites, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Fresh white bread crumbs

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons good cider vinegar
2 tablespoons good Champagne vinegar
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 cup good olive oil
Enough mixed salad greens for 6 servings
Olive oil and unsalted butter, for frying

Directions:
Slice the goat cheese into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. (The easiest way to slice goat cheese is to use a length of dental floss.) Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a rack and chill them for at least 15 minutes.
For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season, to taste.
Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten, then divide them among 6 plates.
Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat until just under smoking. Cook the goat cheese rounds quickly on both sides until browned on the outside but not melted inside. Top each salad with 2 warm rounds and serve.

Harvest Salad

Here is a delicious salad recipe compliments of Bon Appetit Magazine. It is perfect to enjoy in the Fall or Winter.

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
1/3-1/2 c apple cider vinegar
3-5 tbsp frozen apple concentrate, thawed
2 tbsp minced onion
1 ¾ tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp black pepper
1 c thinly sliced red onion
2 gala apples, peeled, halved, cored and cut into ¼ inch dice
5 hearts of romaine halved lengthwise
¾ cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Whisk first 8 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using.

Place sliced onion in medium bowl. Cover with cold water. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain well, pat dry.

Place 1/3 cup dressing in a bowl and toss apples to coat. Cut each romaine leaf into three wedges and fan on a large platter. Top with red onion slices. Drizzle salad with dressing, then sprinkle with apples and pecans

Spinach Pesto

Do you love pesto and wish you could eat it year round? If you answered yes, then you must try this spinach pesto recipe. It is a fantastic base on pizza, served with your favorite pasta or added to soups. This recipe comes from the infamous Moosewood Restaurant in Cornell, New York.

4 cups firmly packed fresh spinach
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (almonds or walnuts can be used as well for varying flavor)
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced

Wash and drain the spinach. Remove only the large stems. In a food processor (blender is OK), blend half of the spinach with all of the lemon juice and half of the oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Sage Lasagna

Our good friends Matt and Marta made this recipe for one of our recurring family game nights a couple years ago. We loved it and make it often in the winter. It comes from Martha Stewart.

•3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
•1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese
•1/2 cup heavy cream
•2 large egg yolks
•1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
•Freshly grated nutmeg
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•1/3 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
•1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
•Fresh Lasagna Noodles (Cucina Fresca is best)
•4 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)


•Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt on a baking sheet. Season with pepper. Bake until light gold and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool.
•Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Combine ricotta, cream, yolks, mozzarella, and a pinch of nutmeg in a medium bowl. Season with salt.
•Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to sizzle, add sage, and cook until light gold and slightly crisp at edges, 3 to 4 minutes.
•Place squash in a medium bowl, and mash 1/2 of it with the back of a wooden spoon, leaving the other 1/2 in whole pieces. Gently stir in sage-butter mixture and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
•Spread 3/4 cup of ricotta mixture in a 9-cup baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1/2 of the butternut squash mixture over noodles. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layering once more (noodles, squash, noodles, ricotta). Sprinkle Parmesan over ricotta mixture.
•Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until cheese is golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 8.

Ina's Lasagna

Do you want to know the secret on making a lasagna that your guests will rave about for years to come? Ina Garten cracked the code on this and has perfected the 'it' casserole of the 20th century. Serve it with a spicy Chianti, crusty Ciabbata bread and a light salad. And yes; this is at least twice the cost of a pre-made lasagna that you can purchase, but you will never be able to go back. The finished product is beautiful, aromatic, and best of all, mouth-wateringly perfect. Bon Apetit!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 (28-ounce) can crushed Muir Glen organic tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound fresh lasagna sheets. Look for Cucina Fresca.
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound FRESH mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Butternut Squash, Sage & Goat Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter Hazelnut Sauce

Making homemade butternut squash ravioli has become a Christmas Eve tradition in our house for the past five years. We took a cooking class in Tuscany where we learned how to make fresh pasta and it is one of the most fun kitchen adventures you can have. We've had ravioli making parties which are a big hit with fellow foodies, especially for a multi-course event. Note: As a shortcut, you can purchase fresh made pasta sheets, preferably Cucina Fresca which can be found at Whole Foods, Market of Choice or New Seasons. Pasta Works also makes delicious fresh pasta as well that you can custom order to pick up at their Hawthorne or NW 21st location. Or, you can use wonton wrappers but only as a last resort. This recipe was adapted from a similar recipe in Gourmet Magazine.

2-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 medium onion or 3 shallots, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
3 ounces aged goat cheese, grated (about 2/3)

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/3 cup hazelnuts,toasted lightly and skinned and chopped coarse
1/4 cup loosely packet fresh sage leaves, some chopped, some whole
(Optional) Brown sugar for sprinkling over the ravioli

Put squash halves, flesh sides down, an baking sheet and roast in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until flesh is very tender. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh into a bowl and discard skin. Mash squash with a fork until smooth.

While squash is roasting, in a skillet cook onion and sage in butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes, or until onion is golden brown. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Cool onion mixture slightly and add to squash. Add goat cheese and stir to combine well.

In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a gentle boil for ravioli.

Place small spoon-sized drops of the squash mixture, spread evenly along one side of the pasta sheets. Fold the other side over, and using either a ravioli cutter or knife, cut around each drop leaving room to seal the edges well. You can make them square or round depending on your preference. Transfer ravioli to a dry kitchen towel. Make more ravioli with remaining pasta and filling in same manner, transferring as formed to towel and turning occasionally to dry slightly.

In skillet cook butter with hazelnuts and fresh sage over moderate heat until butter begins to brown, about 3 minutes, and immediately remove from heat (nuts will continue to cook). Season hazelnut butter with salt and pepper and keep warm, covered.

Cook ravioli in 3 batches in gently boiling water 6 minutes, or until they rise to surface and are tender (do not let water boil vigorously once ravioli have been added). Carefully transfer ravioli as cooked with a slotted spoon to a large shallow baking pan and add enough cooking water to reach 1/2 inch up side of pan. Keep ravioli warm, covered.

Transfer ravioli with a slotted spoon (letting excess cooking liquid drip off) to 6 plates and top with hazelnut brown-butter sauce. Garnish with extra pieces of sage, hazelnuts or with a sprinkle of brown sugar.