Autumnal Cheese Ravioli in Pumpkin Hazelnut Cream

1. Cook the Ravioli

Start by bringing 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Season the boiling water generously with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the fresh cheese ravioli and cook until they are al dente. This usually takes just a few minutes. Before draining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, as you'll need this later. Then, drain the pasta and set it aside.

2. Prepare Hazelnut Butter

While the pasta is cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped hazelnuts and fresh sage leaves. Cook the sage leaves for about 3 minutes until they become crispy, then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Continue to cook the butter and hazelnuts for an additional minute or until the butter turns a golden brown and has a fragrant, nutty aroma. This browned butter will add a deep, rich flavor to your dish. Transfer the hazelnut butter mixture to a heatproof bowl and stir in the sherry vinegar and ⅛ teaspoon of salt.

3. Cook Shallots

In the now-empty skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallot, ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook the mixture for about 3 minutes until the shallots are softened and fragrant.

4. Prepare Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Stir in the heavy cream and canned pumpkin puree, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. Once done, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it's melted and well combined.

5. Combine Ravioli and Sauce

Add the cooked ravioli to the skillet with the pumpkin cream sauce. Toss everything together gently to coat the ravioli evenly with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, you can adjust the consistency by adding some of the reserved pasta cooking water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

6. Serve

To serve, divide the ravioli among four plates, and top each serving with the hazelnut butter mixture and the crispy sage leaves. Enjoy your Autumnal Cheese Ravioli in Pumpkin Hazelnut Cream, a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for the fall season.