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1
Preheat the oven to 400F.
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2
To make the filling, cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the strings and seeds.
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3
Put the squash halves in a baking dish, cut side up.
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4
Cover and bake until tender when pierced, about 1 hour.
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5
Cool, then scrape the flesh away from the skins.
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6
Puree the flesh in a food processor until smooth.
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7
Measure 1 cup squash puree into a bowl.
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8
(Discard any remaining puree or reserve for another use.)
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9
Add the cheese, bread crumbs, and nutmeg and salt to taste.
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10
Stir in the egg yolk.
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11
Roll the pasta on the pasta machine into sheets as thin as you are comfortable working with.
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12
(I roll it to number 7, two steps thinner than I do for fettuccine.)
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13
Lay the sheets on clean dish towels as you make them.
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14
Prepare the ravioli while the pasta is still fresh and somewhat moist.
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15
On a work surface lightly dusted with semolina, lay 1 sheet flat.
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16
Dot the sheet with small mounds of filling in two parallel rows, using a scant 1 teaspoon filling for each mound.
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17
The mounds should be about 1 inch apart and the rows about 2 inches apart.
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18
Keep the mounds far enough from the edges of the dough to allow room to seal the ravioli.
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19
With a pastry brush dipped in cold water, lightly moisten the edges of the pasta dough and moisten a strip between the rows.
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20
Top with another sheet of pasta dough (four hands are helpful here, but not essential), carefully aligning the edges.
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21
Press between the mounds and between the rows to seal the ravioli.
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22
Use a fluted pastry wheel to cut between the ravioli.
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23
Transfer them to semolina-dusted trays or dish towels to rest while you prepare the sauce.
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24
If you are not going to cook the ravioli immediately, you need to turn them every 20 minutes or so to prevent them from sticking to the trays or towels.
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25
Bring two large pots of salted water to a boil over high heat.
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26
Meanwhile, prepare the sage leaves: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat.
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27
Add the sage leaves and cook slowly, turning them occasionally, until they crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.
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28
Transfer them to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt.
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29
Pour the fat from the pan into a small cup and let the dark particles settle to the bottom, then pour the clear fat back into the skillet.
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30
Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and melt over low heat.
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31
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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32
Add the ravioli to the boiling water, dividing them between the two pots.
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33
Cook until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes, depending on how dry they are and how thin your pasta is.
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34
Stir them often so they dont stick to each other.
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35
Check by lifting one out with a strainer and cutting off a bit of the edge to taste.
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36
When the ravioli are done, lift them out of the pot a few at a time with a skimmer or strainer, letting excess water drip back into the pot.
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37
Divide them among warmed bowls, drizzling each portion with the melted butter and sprinkling with some of the cheese and sage leaves.
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38
Serve immediately.
