A Feast of Autumn Flavors - Pear and Blue Cheese Ravioli
As we step into autumn, there is an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. For the summer adventures now behind us. For days of ‘back to school’ with freshly sharpened pencils. For drizzly evening walks with crisp leaves underfoot. For crackling fires and the smell of apple cider. It is simply the most romantic time of the year.
My world in Southern California means that the gems of autumn are, more often than not, a figment of my imagination. A walk down memory lane. I find myself replaying the textures, colors and sounds that I grew up with and have absorbed through fall-time travels. Pining for cozy moments in hues of cinnamon and gold and chunky knit sweaters layered with overcoats that don’t yet need to be buttoned closed. After a decade of living in Los Angeles however, I have found ways to celebrate and commemorate the season that I so deeply adore. Embracing the subtle changes in light and temperature and warming my world with rich tones and decadent cooking, I am able to create my own version of fall. One that still holds a sense of hibernation and comfort.
This year, to commemorate the feeling of fall, I found myself daydreaming of spiced wine poached pears with a sharp blue cheese and creamy mascarpone filling, tucked nicely into homemade ravioli pillows, all swimming in a brown butter sauce and crispy sage. These flavors seemed to sum up October perfectly in a single bite and paired oh-so-nicely with an autumnal salad and beautifully braised leeks. Creating a mini feast filled with everything that is so utterly lovely about the fall season brings out the best of the season (and me). And sharing such an evening with those that bring so much joy to my life, makes missing the traditional splendor of autumn a little less painful.
Whether you are living in a dreamy landscape of amber and burgundy or like me, left longing for crisp air and the need for a sweater, an autumnal feast can be a beautiful way to bring friends together and luxuriate in all things cozy and decadent. For cozy, is the epitome of autumn! Xx
Gluten free pear and blue cheese ravioli with brown butter and crispy sage
Autumn salad filled with farmers market finds
Braised leeks with beurre blanc
Accompanied by deliciously crisp champagne for dinner and Lambrusco with dessert
Fig clafoutis
Gluten Free Pear and Blue Cheese Ravioli
Makes about 18 raviolis. I estimate 3-4 per guest when served at a dinner party with 2-3 side dishes plus dessert.
Gluten Free Pasta Dough
240 grams Odella Bakes gluten free all purpose flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Mix dry ingredients together on a flat, clean work surface (I use a large wood cutting board.) Create a well in the center of the flour mound and crack whole eggs into center, add yolks, salt and olive oil. Whisk with a fork, slowly bringing in flour from the interior edges of the well until nice and thick. Begin to bring the remaining flour into the wet mixture with hands and kneed until all flour is fully incorporated*. Continue to kneed dough until the ball is smooth and silky. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rest at room temp for 30 minutes. Cut into 4ths, keeping the sections you’re not using covered with the damp towel so that they don’t dry out. Flaten and roll dough out until it’s a thin disk that can be rolled out through your pasta machine on the widest setting. Continue rolling out dough setting the machine to thinner settings as you go until it’s thin enough to see shadows through. Serious Eats has an amazing step-by-step guide for pasta making that I followed when first learning to make pasta - I cannot recommend reading through this detailed guide enough!
* if dough is too dry while kneading together, add water with a spray bottle, one spritz at a time.
Pear and blue cheese filling
2-3 not quite ripe pears
1 bottle of dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamon pods
3 star anise
a couple cloves
1/4 cup honey
5 oz (plus 2 tablespoons more for garnish) crumbled blue cheese of your choice (I used gorgonzola for a more subtle flavor)
1 cup mascarpone
salt and pepper to taste
Poach pears in wine, honey and spices until tender when poked with a fork. Allow pears to cool to room temp. Slice and core pears and chop into small cubes the size of peas. Combine blue cheese and mascarpone with salt and pepper. Fold in pears and add to piping bag to pipe onto pasta sheets for your ravioli creation.
To Serve
1/2 cup salted butter (one stick)
Handful of washed and dried sage leaves
Bring a medium/large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. In a large sauce pan, melt 1/2 cup butter until it begins to brown. Add in sage leaves and allow to crips up. Remove sage leaves and allow to rest on a paper towel. Add ravioli 3-4 at a time to boiling water and cook until they float, abut 90 seconds. Meanwhile, allow butter to continue to brown slightly. As the raviolis cook add them to the brown butter, lightly tossing and spoon butter over the tops (take care not to crowd.) Continue until all raviolis are cooked. Add the raviolis and brown butter to a warmed serving bowl, sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles add some fresh cracked pepper and finish with crispy sage.
