Winter Squash Cappelletti with Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Apple, Brown Butter and Sage

Courtesy Katherine Stern, chef-owner, The Midway in Santa Cruz Santa Cruz-based Katherine Stern—who is quite busy running her popular farmers market booth The Midway, as well as launching her first brick and mortar restaurant—became interested in pasta while living in Tuscany. “I loved watching all of the Italian grannies with their deft hands kneading the dough until just right. ‘Just right’, they explained, was how it felt in their hands. The moment when just enough of everything had been added and adjusted, when the dough looked right, felt right, behaved right, ‘Basta,’ that’s it, they would say. An intuitive process that could only be perfected after years of practice,” she recalls.

Another big pasta memory for Stern was in the early 2000s. “Before fresh pasta shapes and noodles were ubiquitous on menus and grocery store shelves in the Bay Area, I ate pappardelle with wild boar ragu at a small restaurant in Castel Del Piano [in Italy] called Casa Corsini. It was a revelation,” she says. The plant-centric stuffed pasta dish Stern has shared with us will take a bit of time, but is absolutely worth it.

For the pasta dough 4 to 6 whole eggs (depending on size) 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon salt 4 cups “00” pasta flour, such as Caputo pasta fresca

For the filling 1 large winter squash (red kabocha, butternut, buttercup or kuri) ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Salt and pepper to taste

To finish the dish 1½ cups Brussels sprouts, shredded finely ½ cup unsalted butter 1 cup roasting apples, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes 12 sage leaves Parmesan

If making pasta by hand, mound the flour on a large cutting board or table. In a small jug, mix together 4 of the whole eggs, the olive oil and the salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and using a fork, slowly mix in the egg mixture, adding in dry flour as you go. As the mixture comes together, ditch the fork and start kneading with your hands. If the dough is too dry, add another egg or two as needed to produce a firm (though not sticky) dough. If you end up adding too much egg and your dough is too sticky, never fear; just dust over some more flour and continue kneading until it’s a good consistency. Keep kneading (don’t be shy, no need to be gentle here) until the dough becomes elastic (push your finger into it and see that it starts to bounce back). Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Set out at room temperature to rest for at least 30 minutes.

If making in a mixer, place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Follow the same instructions as above using the dough hook attachment. When the dough has come together and has a good, firm consistency, take the dough from the bowl and continue kneading by hand on a cutting board or table until elastic. Wrap and set aside to rest as above.

To make the filling: Heat oven to 400° F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle a little oil over the cut side and season with salt. Pop a sage leaf in each side of the squash and place cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes until soft. A knife should easily pierce the flesh. Flip the squash cut-side up and let cool until easy enough to handle.

When cool, scoop out the roasted flesh and place in a bowl. If the flesh seems watery, drain in a colander over a bowl. Add the grated Parmesan to the squash and season with salt and pepper.

Scoop the filling into a piping bag (if using) and set aside. Filling can be made one day ahead and refrigerated until use. Using a pasta sheeter, roll the pasta into thin sheets, about the thickness of a sheet of paper. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can from each sheet, layering them on a sheet pan between sheets of parchment so they don’t stick together.

Once all of the rounds are cut, lay out a few at a time and pipe or spoon about 1½ teaspoons of filling in the center of each round. Fold them in half into a taco shape and seal the edges, pushing any air bubbles out as you go. Fold the edges of the long side over your finger and squish them together. You should have a plump mound of filling in the middle of the circle with a little rim of pasta on the edges encircling it like a hat (cappelletti means little hats). Continue with the remaining rounds.

To finish the dish: Fill a large pot with plenty of salted water to cook the cappelletti. Once it has boiled, add the cappelletti and cook until the edges are tender. This might take longer than expected due to the fact that the pasta has gotten thicker where the edges were folded. Check one of the cappelletti after 5 minutes and see where you stand. Add more time as needed.

In the meantime, heat a large sauté pan over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring often until they are browned and crispy. Lower the heat slightly if they are browning too fast. Season with salt and drain on paper towels. Keep in a warm spot while you make the sauce.

In separate large pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter with sage leaves and apples. Continue to cook until the butter is a nut brown color and the apples have softened and are slightly caramelized. Add the cooked cappelletti along with a splash of the pasta cooking liquid to the pan of browned butter mixture.

Over medium heat, toss the pasta pillows with the sauce until it’s slightly reduced and coats everything well. To serve, distribute between plates and top with the crispy Brussels sprouts. Grate some fresh Parmesan over the pasta if it strikes your fancy. Serves 4–6.

LOCAL PASTA SOURCES

Bigoli Fresh Pasta - Sand City Etto Pastificio - Paso Robles Goodles - Santa Cruz Mezzaluna - Pacific Grove Pasta Mike’s - Santa Cruz Pensi Pasta - Marina The Pasta Palate - Carmel