Ingredients

Pasta Dough

• 1.5 cup all purpose flour

• 1 cup semolina flour

• 3 large eggs

• 1 pinch of salt

• Olive oil as needed

Filling

• 1 butternut squash

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 3-4 tbsp goat cheese

• 1-2 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
  

Equipment

• Stand mixer (optional)

• Pasta machine or rolling pin

• Baking sheet

• Mixing bowl or food processor

Instructions

Prepare the Pasta Dough

1. Before you even think about getting started, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. In a large mixing bowl (or a stand mixer), combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup semolina flour, and a pinch of salt.

3. Create a well in the center and crack in the 3 eggs.

4. Gradually mix the flour into the eggs until a dough forms. Add a drizzle of olive oil if the dough is too dry.

5. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

6. Place the dough back in the mixing bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Roast the Butternut Squash

• Cut the butternut squash into cubes.

• Toss the butternut squash cubes with olive oil, minced garlic, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread them out on a baking sheet.

• Roast for 25–30 minutes or until the squash is tender and caramelized.

Make the Filling

• Transfer the roasted butternut squash to a mixing bowl (or a food processor). Add 3-4 tbsp goat cheese and 1-2 tbsp parmesan cheese.

• Mash and mix (or blend) until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or spices as needed. Set aside.

Make the Ravioli

• Divide the rested dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece out thinly using a pasta machine or rolling pin. Aim for a thickness where you can see your hand through the dough.

• Lay one sheet of pasta on a lightly floured surface. Place small spoonfuls of the squash filling, evenly spaced, about 1.5-2 inches apart.

• Brush the edges and spaces between the filling with a bit of water to help seal the ravioli.

• Lay another sheet of pasta over the top and press gently around the filling to remove air bubbles.

• Cut out the ravioli into squares and seal it by pressing a fork around the edges.

Cook the Ravioli:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

• Add the ravioli in small batches and cook for 3–5 minutes, or until they float to the surface.

• Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving plate.

• Drizzle the ravioli with olive oil or your favorite sauce (e.g., browned butter and sage) (I like butter with some garlic, and sprinkled with salt and nutritional yeast). Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a pinch of nutmeg.

The Novel

One day, while wandering through the thrift store—my third favorite place next to Disneyland and Taco Bell—I stumbled across a pasta machine for $12. I didn’t need it, but something about it felt right. So I bought it, went home, and started my pasta-making era. The first attempts were mediocre at best. Eventually, though, I figured it out.

After some practice, I convinced my one of my best friends to join me in this newfound hobby. She’s my opposite in every way—if I’m the dark cloud, she’s the sunbeam breaking through. I half-expected her to sprinkle fairy dust into the dough (this is absolutely something she would do), but she took to pasta-making immediately. It became a monthly tradition: I’d bring the semolina, we’d wear matching aprons, and listen to Italian disco while kneading dough and filling ravioli.

After several pasta sessions, ravioli became our specialty. We experimented with fillings: ricotta and spinach, mushroom and garlic, She has a large garden in her backyard and that year ended up with a lifetime supply of blue Hubbard squash—so that became our go-to filling simply because it was free. At some point, we started calling ourselves the Pasta Sluts—half a joke, half a mission statement.

What started as a $12 thrift store whim turned into something bigger—a ritual with good company, which sounds like the epitome of Italian food.