Sweet Potato Sage Raviolis with Sautéed Walnuts and Sage
Homemade sweet potato sage raviolis with sautéed walnuts and sage take a bit of time and effort to prepare, but the taste factor is definitely worth it.
For the filling
Preheat the oven to 204°C (400 °F). Bake the whole sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on their size.
They’re done when tender to the touch and a knife slides in and out with ease. For most medium-size sweet potatoes, 30–40 minutes baking time will be enough.
Let the potatoes cool briefly, then remove the skins, add to a medium bowl, and mash. Season with the salt, coconut (palm) sugar, and cinnamon. Stir, then set aside to cool in the refrigerator.
The original recipe for 6 servings calls for 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or organic cane sugar.
For the pasta
Add the semolina and all-purpose flour (Type 550) to a large bowl and whisk. In a separate bowl, mix the olive oil with about ¾ of the water to start with. Add to the dry ingredients 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon to combine. Stop adding water when a loose dough has formed.
The original recipe for 6 servings calls for 2 cups (336 g) semolina flour and ½ cup (68 g) unbleached all-purpose flour. For more information, please read the “Notes about recipe.”
Transfer the pasta dough to a surface dusted with semolina. Knead for 3 minutes or until elastic and slightly sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 20–30 minutes.
Wrapped in plastic wrap, the dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Alternatively, store in freezer in freezer-safe container for up to 2 weeks.
Unwrap the pasta dough and divide into two even pieces. Set aside one half, and place the other half on a clean surface liberally dusted with semolina. Use a rolling pin to roll the pasta dough into a large square almost as thin as paper. Add more semolina to the surface and top of the pasta dough as you go, to prevent sticking. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the pasta dough into 6 even strips about 1½ inches wide.
Use a teaspoon or similar-size spoon to scoop small amounts of chilled sweet potato filling ( ̴ 7 g). Scoop onto 3 of the 6 pasta strips, leaving ½ inch of space between the dollops and the edge to allow room to close the raviolis.
Wet your finger or a brush and run it along the edges of the pasta to help the sheets stick together. Then, one at a time, carefully pick up a strip of bare pasta, flip it over, and gently lay it down on top of an adjacent strip with filling. Use your finger to gently press down in between the spaces of the filling to aid in the cutting process.
Use a pizza cutter or knife (or ravioli stamper) to cut the raviolis into squares. Then use a fork to crimp the edges, gently stretching the pasta down over the filling to meet the edges and prevent spillover as needed. Trim any edges using the pizza cutter or knife as needed, and transfer the ravioli to a parchment-lined baking sheet as you go.
Repeat until all of the raviolis are filled (re-forming any leftover scraps and rolling them out again to repeat the process).
For a recipe that makes 6 serving, you should have about 50 total.
Allow the raviolis to dry out on the baking sheets for 10–15 minutes to prevent sticking.
Alternatively, place them in the freezer to cook later. Transfer baking sheets to the freezer to let the raviolis freeze entirely. Once frozen, store in a freezer-safe container for later use.
Preparing the sweet potato sage raviolis
When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt well. Add 9 to 10 raviolis at a time. Cook for 3–4 minutes if fresh, and 5–6 minutes if frozen. Then use a slotted spoon to scoop out the raviolis. Set aside. Continue until all the raviolis are boiled.
After raviolis are done cooking, place a large skillet over medium heat and coarsely chop the walnuts and sage.
Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil to the hot skillet, than add 1 Tbsp each walnuts and sage, reserving the rest for other batches. Stir and sauté for 1 minute, then add only as many raviolis as will fit comfortably in the pan. Cook on both sides for 1–2 minutes. The goal is a quick sear. Flip carefully and add more oil as needed to prevent sticking.
Transfer the seared raviolis to a serving platter (which can be kept warm in a 90 °C (200 °F) oven). Continue the cooking process (adding oil, then walnuts and sage, then ravioli) until all of the raviolis are cooked.
Serving
Sprinkle Vegan Parmesan on top, if desired, and serve warm.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
Homemade sweet potato sage raviolis with sautéed walnuts and sage take a bit of time and effort to prepare, but the taste factor is definitely worth it.
Yield: According to the author, the ingredients for a recipe that makes 6 servings will make about 50 sweet potato sage raviolis.
Walnuts: English walnuts (also called Persian walnuts or Circassian walnuts, Juglans regia) are the most common type of walnut in Central Europe. Walnuts are used in a wide range of dishes and desserts and also to make walnut oil. Walnuts are the nuts that have the highest content of alpha linolenic acid (ALA). They are rich in tocopherols, a group of four different forms of vitamin E. They are also a good source of macroelements and trace elements.
Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are not actually potatoes. While they grow as underground tubers, in contrast to regular potatoes they are not part of the nightshade family. Sweet potato leaves are edible and are a food staple in many tropical countries. Sweet potatoes have a high water content and as such can’t be stored for long periods of time like regular potatoes. However, careful handling (e.g., avoiding bruises) can extend the storage life. Since certain varieties contain an appreciable amount of hydrogen cyanide, you should carefully select the type of sweet potato you will be using. Culinary uses: A large variety of both sweet and savory dishes can be prepared using sweet potatoes. These tubers are available in a range of colors, including yellow with red skin, orange-red with reddish-brown skin, and white with light-colored skin.
Flour types: In this recipe, the author Dana Schultz uses unbleached all-purpose flour. This is a type of white flour that is sold as Type 550 (Germany), white flour (Switzerland), and Type W480 (Austria). The type number comes from baker and milling terminology and refers to the mineral content of the flour. The higher the type number of the flour, the higher the mineral content. Flours containing lower levels of minerals, such as Type 550, are good for baking and achieving a smooth dough. They can also be used whenever all-purpose flour is called for. Whole wheat flours such as type 1800 are more nutritious, but they are not as easy to bake with.
Semolina flour: In contrast to Germany, Italy doesn’t classify its flours based on their mineral content, but instead on the starting material used. Flours milled from soft wheats are called farina (conventional flour), and flours made from durum wheat are called semola or semolina. To make pasta dishes (such as ravioli) that will keep their shape, you need a flour that will produce a smooth and elastic dough. Semolina flour is the preferred flour for making pasta. In our version, we have set the ratio of semolina flour and all-purpose flour (Type 550) at 1:1. The original recipe calls for more semolina flour (336 g) and less all-purpose flour (68 g).
Semolina: Semolina is white to yellow-brown in color and available either as soft wheat semolina (farina) or durum wheat semolina. Pasta without egg is made using classic durum wheat semolina, which is extremely high in gluten.
Tips
Tip from the author (storage): Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, though best when fresh. Raw (uncooked) raviolis will keep in the refrigerator for 1–2 days, and in the freezer up to 1 month.
Adjusting the consistency of the pasta dough: Start with less water (as we recommend in Step 3). If the dough doesn’t hold together and is too dry, carefully add more water and let it absorb before you add any additional water.
Storing the dough: Wrapped in plastic wrap, the dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. And according to the author Dana Schultz, you can also store it in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 weeks.
Alternate preparation
Oil: Instead of olive oil, we recommend that you use canola oil as canola oil has a better ratio of omega-6 (LA) to omega-3 fatty acids (ALA). As a comparison, olive oil has an LA:ALA ratio of 11–12:1 whereas the ratio of the two fatty acids for canola oil comes in at just over 2:1.
Extra filling ingredients: In addition to the filling ingredients listed, you can include fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, parsley, or oregano. In addition, garlic, onions, and/or chili peppers go well with the sweet potato but don’t work so well with the cinnamon and coconut sugar. Experiment a little until you find your favorite combination.
Semolina flour: Instead of the semolina flour called for in the original recipe, you can use durum semolina and all-purpose flour (Type 550) in a ratio of 1:1.
