| Sweet-potato Ravioli with Sage & Pecans (printer friendly) Makes 6 (first-course) or 4 (main-course) servings.  2 1-pound red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)1 tablespoons golden brown sugar 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature 4 slices pancetta or bacon (optional) pinch of nutmeg pinch of allspice 1/2 cup grated parmesan 1/2 cup dried, fine breadcrumbs fresh pasta or wonton wrappers 4 tablespoons butter 1 clove garlic 2 tablespoons chopped sage 2 tablespoon chopped parsley 1/3 cup toasted and chopped pecans 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil rimmed baking sheet. Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise; place cut side down on baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 35 minutes; cool. Scoop potato pulp out of skins and rice into small bowl (using a potato ricer or similar tool). 2. While the yams are cooking, saute the pancetta and bacon until crisp. Chop finely. 3. When the yams are cool enough to handle, spoon 1 and 1/3 cups pulp into medium bowl. (Reserve any remaining potato pulp for another use.) Add sugar, butter, pancetta, nutmeg, allspice, parmesan and breadcrumbs and mix well. Season filling with salt and pepper. 4. Make ravs with filling, using either pasta dough or wonton wrappers. Transfer ravs to parchment-lined baking sheet until ready to cook. Can be made up to 4 weeks ahead. Freeze, then cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before cooking. 5. To make the sauce: Saute the butter and garlic in large pot over medium heat. Add sage and 1 tablespoon of the parsley and cook until butter is lightly browned. Remove from heat and add pecans. 6. Meanwhile, working in batches, cook ravioli in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Add ravioli to pot with butter sauce; toss to coat. Transfer to plates, drizzling any sauce from pot over ravioli and garnish with remaining parsley. |