Phillip Basone

Yields 60 pieces 

Feeds 6-8 people 

Prep Time: 3 hours 

Total Time: 3 ½ hours 

FOR THE PASTA DOUGH: 

460 grams 00 Flour 

30 egg yolks 

5 grams Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

FOR THE FILLING:

2 koginut squash, cut in half, skin on, seeds removed 

10 sprigs thyme 

2 sprigs rosemary

2 fresh bay leaves

1 whole head garlic, cut in half 

200 grams sheep’s milk ricotta, drained  

65 grams pecorino romano, freshly grated 

½ nutmeg, freshly grated 

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 

PREPARE THE FILLING

•  Preheat the oven to 425*. Place the squash in a baking dish, season generously with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and the aromatics. Pour about 1 cup of water and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the squash is fully cooked through. Let cool slightly before using. 
• Remove the whole herbs and garlic and set aside. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh of the squash and place in a fine mesh sieve lined with a damp towel. Drain the squash for at least 1 hour to remove the excess moisture and to cool before finishing the filling. 
• In a bowl mix together the drained squash and ricotta, the grated cheese and nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in a piping bag and set aside. 

PREPARE THE DOUGH

•  Dump flour onto a clean work surface and form a well. Place the egg yolks and extra virgin olive oil in the middle. Using a fork, gradually whisk the yolks together, slowly incorporating the flour from the edges into the mixture. Once the dough is starting to stick to the fork too much, use your hands to slowly incorporate the remaining of the flour until you have formed a shaggy mass. Form the mixture into a ball. If the dough is too dry to come together, add 1 tsp. of cold water at a time until it comes together. You want the dough to be somewhat tacky at this point, slightly sticking to the work surface. With both your hands, start to knead the dough. Using your dominant hand push the dough downwards with the heel of your palm, rotating it 30 degrees with your other, pushing downwards again with the heel of your palm in a consistent motion. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes to develop the gluten fully. When you press the dough it should spring back slowly. Lightly dust the dough with flour and set aside, covered with either plastic wrap or a damp hand towel, for at least 1 hour. 
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the rolling attachment or a pasta sheeter begin to roll the dough. Cut into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface roll ¼ dough thin enough to fit on the largest setting of your machine. Starting at the widest setting, roll the dough through, fold it over itself and pass through again. This process is called lamination. It will ensure that the gluten has fully formed and will result in a very tender final product. Roll from 10 all the way down to 0, laminating the dough at least once through each number. 
• Working in sheets, use a fluted cookie cutter to cut the shapes out. Fill each with about 1 Tbs. of the filling. Using your fingers, gently rub one half of the cappelletti with cold water. Fold them in half, matching up the edges to create a half moon. Using your dominant hand, push your thumb slightly into the middle and fold the edges around your thumb to create a seal. Place on a tray that has been lightly floured with semolina and continue the process until you have finished. 
• Boil in heavily salted water for 2 minutes, or until they float to the top. Serve with brown butter, sage, a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar, freshly cracked black pepper and grated pecorino romano. 

CHEF'S NOTES

• I prefer using koginut squash for a multitude of reasons. It is a hybrid of butternut squash and kabocha. It has a very smooth, velvety texture when cooked that lends itself to fillings very well. I also find that it is more vegetal tasting than sweet, which gives the final dish more complexity. Koginut is easily found at the Union Square Farmers market. Ask for Row 7, Robin’s Koginut squash at Norwich Meadows Farm stand. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with butternut squash but I would recommend kabocha first. 
• I prefer making pasta by hand to allow you to feel the dough’s needs. You can easily make the pasta in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. 
• If you're not inclined to commit so much time and energy to a labor intensive dish, this recipe can easily be adapted to make a lasagna al forno. Roll the sheets and prepare the filling the same way. Layer the sheets with the squash filling along with a bechamel sauce and bake. Add chunks of roasted squash or sauteed spinach in the layers for texture and to make it a heartier vegetarian meal. 
• After cutting out the cappelletti, save the scrap pasta sheets on a sheet tray in the freezer. Known as maltagliati, or poorly cut, these fresh pasta shapes would serve just as well in any dish you’d use pappardelle or tagliatelle.