Gusto’s Pumpkin Pansotti

Chef Amanda Freitag shares a brand new recipe from her kitchen at West Village Italian, Gusto.  You can’t get more fall than a pumpkin pansotti with apple cider reduction…

Pumpkin Pansotti with Spiced Hazelnuts & Apple Cider Reduction
Chef Amanda Freitag
(Serves 4)

Ingredients for the pasta:
3 cups “00” flour (low gluten flour)
½ tsp. salt
3 eggs
½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup semolina flour for dusting

Ingredients for the filling:
1 medium or 2 small sugar pumpkins
½ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg

Ingredients for the sauce:
2 cups apple cider, reduced to ¼ cup
¾ cup hazelnuts
Pinch cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Salt
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. butter

Preparation for the pasta…

Preparation for the pasta:
Combine dry ingredients
together in a mixing bowl with the dough hook attachment.  Begin mixing
at medium speed, and then start to add in the eggs one by one until
combined.  Continue mixing until the dough starts to form and add the
olive oil.  Turn dough out from the bowl onto flat surface and start to
knead in any remaining bits of dough. Continue kneading until dough
becomes smooth and form into a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap or a towel
and let rest for up to 1 hour before rolling into pasta.

Preparation for the filling:
Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.  Place in a
roasting pan flesh side down and cover with foil.  Cook until tender,
approximately one hour.  When cool, scoop out the flesh with a spoon
and blend until smooth in a food processor.  This is your pumpkin puree
base, it should yield at least 1 cup of puree.  Combine this with the
cheeses and season to taste. Place the finished filling into a pastry
bag ready for assembly.

To assemble the pasta:
Dust
a sheet pan with semolina flour and set aside.  Using a pasta sheeter
(hand crank or electric) begin to sheet the pasta.  Divide the dough
into four equal parts and roll flat enough to fit into the sheeter.
Roll the dough through the machine gradually turning the dial to create
a thinner sheet of dough.  Make sure that the sheet stays in a
rectangular shape, ending up with a sheet that is approximately 10
inches in length by 5 inches wide.  Using a circle cutter punch out 5
circles of pasta and discard the rest.  Repeat with all the other
pasta.

Place the filling into a pastry bag and pipe a nickel sized amount
of filling into each pasta circle. Moisten one edge of the pasta and
fold the other edge over the filling to create a half circle and press
to seal. Repeat with all of the circles and store flat on a sheet pan
dusted with semolina flour in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Preparation for the sauce:
Coarsely grind hazelnuts
in a Cuisinart and then spread them on a sheet pan.  Toss in the spices
and olive oil and toast in a 350-degree oven until golden
(approximately 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a small saucepot, reduce the 2 cups of apple cider
until it is syrupy and thick (approximately reduced to ¼ cup).   To
finish the sauce heat the butter in a shallow sauté pan until brown,
add the nuts and then add in the cooked ravioli with a spoonful of
pasta water.  Serve 5 pieces per portion and finish by drizzling with
the apple cider reduction.

Phone: (212)924-8000
Address: 60 Greenwich St., nr. Seventh Ave.
www.gustonyc.com

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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