Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Sugar Syrup and Ricotta

A few months back Jeremy, our friend Joe and myself went down to the Culver City Hotel where they were having a special Oktoberfest meal, which was made up of five different courses, each course paired with a matching beer. All of the food was fantastic, but what I enjoyed the most the butternut squash ravioli. It was served drizzled with a dark sweet syrup and sprinkled with pecans. The butternut squash just had such a nice creamy sweet taste; I had never had butternut squash ravioli before nor had I seen it anywhere before but it made a hell of an impression. After that meal, I tried looking for it at grocery stores but couldn't find it at Trader Joe's or at Albertson's, which are the two stores I usually go to. (EDIT: Trader Joe's now carries Butternut Squash "Triangoli" in their chilled, not frozen, pasta section). This weekend, however, I ended up near a Whole Foods and stopped inside with the hunch that they might have it. Sure enough, there it was! It's Whole Food's 365 brand and located in the frozen pasta area. And at about $4 for a two-serving size case, it doesn't break the bank either. I tried to recreate the dark sweet syrup and added ricotta into the mix because it's a really nice cheese to pair with any sweet flavor since it's not too salty and has a light creamy taste. No nuts though, just because I didn't have any on hand. But oh my goodness, I think this is the single most delicious recipe I have ever made. The cheese, the squash, the sweetness just all melded together into a melodious mess. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Butter

1 Package 365 or Trader Joe's Brand Butternut Squash Ravioli

1/4 Cup Ricotta

Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Cook the Butternut Squash Ravioli according to package directions. In the meantime heat the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan on medium-low heat until completely melted, turn down the heat to lowest setting. Heat the Ricotta in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Once the ravioli is done cooking, drain and plate it. Scoop the ricotta onto the ravioli and drizzle the syrup on top.