Need Advice: Sauce for Spiced Pumpkin Ravioli

[BethR]

I need help! I was shopping today and couldn't resist picking up some frozen spiced pumpkin ravioli, since I love autumn and everything related to it. But, I really have no clue what type of sauce would taste good with it. Any ideas and/or recipes, would be much appreciated!
Thanks -- Beth

[Beth]

What's in the filling? Sweet or savory? I'm assuming some typical pumpkin spices, possibly some garlic or sausage? I think a light cream sauce, not as heavy or stong flavored as an alfredo. If it's more of a sweet or neutral that you want to serve as a last course, try something, sugary or creamy, with a little maple and some walnuts or pecans. Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for either handy, but maybe this will help inspire someone who does, or I can look and post later. Sounds interesting.

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 10-18-2000).]

[lorilei]

I think that, whatever the case, a cream sauce (as Beth mentioned) would be perfect atop the little orange guys. You could add a bit of nutmeg for interest, or maybe a few julienned carrots to keep up the "orange" veggie theme.

Please let us know if you would like a recipe http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[mightyh]

I've seen these in restaurants with an olive oil/sage type sauce...

[venus]

I think I've seen this with a sage/cream sauce. I also remember reading a recipe for it on www.foodtv.com (http://www.foodtv.com) and I remember that it was fairly important that the sage was fresh. Just thinking about the pumpkin ravioli is making me want to buy some! I may have to look at the store tonight...

P.S. I'm a member and I didn't even notice! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Shirley Panek]

I have a recipe for pumpkin gnocchi that calls for sage butter. They are simply delicious, so I'd have to agree with the cream/sage sauce.

Let us know how they taste!

Shirley

[BethR]

Originally posted by Beth:
What's in the filling? Sweet or savory? I'm assuming some typical pumpkin spices, possibly some garlic or sausage? I think a light cream sauce, not as heavy or stong flavored as an alfredo. If it's more of a sweet or neutral that you want to serve as a last course, try something, sugary or creamy, with a little maple and some walnuts or pecans. Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for either handy, but maybe this will help inspire someone who does, or I can look and post later. Sounds interesting.

I checked the ingredients list, and in addition to sugar and pumpkin pie spice, they also contain turmeric, paprika, and sea salt. I think I'll try these first with a savory sauce, and if I we like the raviolis themselves, maybe try a sweet sauce with another batch. Lorilei, if you could post your cream sauce recipe that would be great -- perhaps I'll add some sage and I really like the idea of the julienned carrots. I plan to make these Saturday night. I'll let you know how they turn out!
Thanks muchly -- Beth

[lorilei]

I have a couple of killer cream sauce recipes... but I think this one is probably the most appropriate for the CL boards http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Enjoy...

LOW-FAT ALFREDO CREAM

2 tbsp. butter
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk (or low-fat evaporated skim milk)
2/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute garlic briefly. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until well blended. Cook 15 min. or until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and cook 5 min. or until cheese melts.

Toss with pasta as desired.

Six servings
(I don't have exact nutritional info since this recipe is kind of a conglomerate; however I do know that this recipe contains approximately 4 grams of fat per serving)

NOTE: If you like your alfredo sauce SUPER cheesy, you can add a bit of mozzarella to the mix for "cheese appeal" http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 10-19-2000).]

[food girl]

I had this in a restaurant once! It was served with a mandarine orange cream sauce. Just a hint o'orange. It was great.

[lorilei]

Here is a hazelnut cream sauce recommended for pumpkin ravioli or squash ravioli. It looks exceedingly rich -- but if it's a special occasion http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ?

Hazelnut Cream Sauce

1 cup hazelnuts
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch white pepper
1 salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Toast the hazelnuts in a shallow pan on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, or until brown and fragrant. When they are cool enough to handle, wrap the nuts tightly in a lint-free towel, and vigorously rub nuts against the towel. Continue rubbing until the nuts are almost blond.

Cook the cream, garlic, cayenne, and white pepper over high heat; stir often, and adjust heat to keep the cream from boiling over. When the cream is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add a pinch salt. Adjust seasoning. Add the shredded sorrel to the sauce; cook just until it wilts -- about 30 seconds. Add half the hazelnuts, turn the heat off, and add the cooked ravioli. Stir gently, and serve immediately. Garnish with remaining hazelnuts.
__________________________________

And here is a recipe from wholehealth.com that sounds just as good!

Pumpkin Ravioli with Sweet Pepper Sauce

Both pumpkin- and spinach-filled ravioli are available at many supermarkets as well as Italian markets and specialty foods stores. This recipe can be prepared with other types of ravioli, preferably one not filled with cheese or meat, as they can be quite high in fat. The bell pepper sauce can be prepared almost entirely in advance, making this a quick and easy main course. A crisp green salad--Romaine, endive and fresh fennel--would make a fine accompaniment.

2 teaspoons olive oil
3 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon marjoram, oregano, or sage
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 pounds pumpkin- , spinach- or vegetable-filled ravioli

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add bell peppers, onion and garlic, and cook until very soft, about 15 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, marjoram, sugar, salt, and 1 cup water; cover and cook until peppers and onion are meltingly tender, about 20 minutes.

Transfer bell pepper mixture to food processor and process to smooth puree. Return puree to skillet.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli in large pot of boiling water until they float to surface and thickest part of ravioli is al dente, 10 to 15 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain ravioli, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.

Stir reserved pasta cooking water into pepper puree and bring to a simmer. Add drained ravioli and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information
Per serving: 321 calories, 9.2g total fat, 4.3g saturated fat, 1.7g monounsaturated fat, 0.4g polyunsaturated fat, 5.4g dietary fiber, 16g protein, 48g carbohydrate, 40mg cholesterol, 450mg sodium.

Good source of: beta-carotene, vitamin C.

[Beth]

Yum! I had to check this and see what ideas everyone had, and now I'm going to have to try to hunt down some pumpkin ravioli (maybe next year or in my next life I will have a chance to try making it -- everyone I know is too busy right now, and the holidays haven't begun)! I especially like your sweet pepper sauce, Lorilei. But then, I love red bell peppers too. I also like the idea of something similar to an alfredo, but not quite as strong, with the carrots or orange.

[BethR]

Many thanks, lorilei, for the Low-Fat Alfredo Cream recipe and the others (although I didn't see those before I cooked my pumpkin ravioli). I didn't make it until earlier tonight (dinner plans for the weekend underwent some modifications). Turned out well with a few caveats -- mid-stream I decided to halve the recipe, which introduced a few mistakes. I think I put a little too much garlic in, and I cooked the sauce a bit too long so it was a little too thick. And of course I completely FORGOT to add the carrots to the dish! The ravioli wasn't very sweet, but it was sweet enough that I think it clashed a bit with the sauce (especially with the extra garlic and with the carrots missing). I'm thinking that sweet pepper sauce might be just the ticket! If Trader Joe's still has the pumpkin ravioli when I return, I'm trying that next. The alfredo sauce itself is great -- a definite repeater!

Thanks again -- Beth