I came back from my mother-in-law’s birthday lunch knowing the first thing I was going to do was try to make the tortellini dish from the Pitchfork restaurant. It didn’t matter to me at all that it might not be as delightfully arranged on the plate but I was determined it was going to taste as good.
I didn’t have enough carrots so I combined carrots with butternut pumpkin/squash. I didn’t have to wonton wrappers but that was the only thing I needed to buy. I usually have some frozen but not this time. Now I could have made my own pasta and do make it frequently but my pasta machine is on loan to a friend and well, rolling it out with a rolling pin is for someone with more energy than I’ve got at the moment.
After putting the carrots and butternut pumpkin/squash in the oven, I headed to the store. I opted for feta rather than goat cheese because it’s what I had. Rarely do I go out and buy something for a recipe if I’ve got something I can make do with and not be disappointed.
If you like these ingredients and you like browned butter and sage sauce – make this recipe. You’ll thank me, I promise. It’s incredibly easy to put together and everyone at the table was suitably impressed with the results.
The thing that took the longest was roasting the vegetables until their caramelized goodness was just perfect. I mixed in the ricotta and sauteed onions and garlic and filled the pasta. I wet two sides, put a teaspoon of filling in the center and pulled over the opposite corner. I folded in one of the corners and wet the outside and folded over the other corner and boom, it was tortellini. Now I’m no purist and I bow down before every Italian who says I did it wrong.
It was delicious and frankly, that’s what matters at my table. I lightly oiled a plate and placed the finished tortellini on it and when they were all done I covered the plate with cling film and placed it in the refrigerator to be ready for dinner.
Just before dinner I picked the sage leaves and then melted the butter slowly and when it began to turn brown, I tossed in a big handful of sage leaves and watched them sizzle. This is the best sauce and I already know it’s not something I should eat every day but once in a while? Absolutely.
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into large coins
- ¼ butternut pumpkin/squash cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil (1 tablespoon for the roasted veg and 1 tablespoon for the onions and garlic)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small tub of ricotta cheese
- ½ cup torn baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 package wonton wrappers
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 16 sage leaves, chopped
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- ½ cup feta, cubed (I used Danish)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F
- Place carrots and butternut on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the edges of the vegetables begin to caramelize and turn brown.
- Place chopped onion and garlic in a skillet on medium heat along with 1 tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent and just beginning to take on some color. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the roasted vegetables and roughly mash. Add the torn spinach leaves, onion and garlic mixture and mix to combine.
- Dampen a kitchen towel and place on the counter and spread out the wonton wrappers. Place a small dish of water nearby.
- With your fingers wet two edges of the wonton wrapper and place a teaspoon of filling in the center.
- Fold over the opposite corner from the wet edges and seal. Fold in the right corner of the triangle and wet the outside and pull over the left corner and press to seal. Place on an oiled dish.
- Just before serving heat a large pot of water to boiling and place the tortellini in and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and serve with brown butter and sage sauce, walnuts, feta, and Parmesan.
- Melt butter in a skillet until it just begins to turn brown.
- Toss in the sage leaves and when they are crispy, remove the pan from the heat and toss in the walnuts.