(Written by Tina; Level: Advanced)

　　Anne: Hi, Dad, I’m on holidays now!

　　Dad: Cool! What’s your plan for summer vacation?

　　Anne: I’m not sure… maybe I’ll find a part-time job to earn my tuition fees for next semester.

　　Dad: Good daughter! How about working in my restaurant?

　　Anne: To serve the customers? I’ll take that offer with a grain of salt.

　　Dad: Excellent! All dishes need salt.

　　Anne: Dad …

　　Dad: All right, no kidding. I think all walks of life are equal, as long as we do an honest day’s work to earn a living. I don’t think people will look down on you because you are serving the customers. In fact, you should be proud of yourself: too few college students take similar opportunities to train themselves. After all, society is simply composed of various types of people doing different types of jobs. Why not take the chance to experience a different aspect of society life?

　　Anne: That makes sense. But Dad, I’m afraid that my friends will come and laugh at me in my silly looking uniform.

　　Dad: Hey Honey, you are college students. To laugh at a hardworking friend would be quite childish. I don’t think any mature person would do this. Take it easy.

　　Anne: And… I’m not good at making Italian dishes.

　　Dad: You’ve got the best Italian chef in front of you!

　　Anne: Way to go, Dad. You’ve convinced me. Ok, I’ll take it.

　　Dad: I promise you’ll never forget the experience! Let’s go and make ravioli!

　　Anne: Now?

　　Dad: Better than never!

　　Anne: …

　　Ravioli filled with Squash

　　Filling:

　　3 tbsp. olive oil

　　1 cup chopped onions

　　½cup chopped pecans

　　2 cups cooked, peeled and mashed butternut squash or sweet potatoes

　　2 tbsp. minced fresh sage

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

　　　Pasta:

　　2 ¾cups all-purpose flour

　　3 eggs

　　½cup warm water

　　½tsp. salt (optional)

　　To make the filling:

　　1.Heat oil and sautéonions until browned.

　　2.Add pecans and sautéfor a few minutes. Add squash and mix until heated through.

　　3.Stir in sage and seasonings. Remove from heat and set aside.

　　　To make the pasta:

　　1.Sift flour onto work surface and form into a mound. Make a well in the middle. Combine eggs and water, and pour into the well.

　　2.Using a fork gradually begin incorporating the flour into the liquid until dough begins to form. Use both hands to gather remaining flour into the dough. Work in as much flour as you can.

　　3.Wash hands. Scrape up dough and knead for 5 to 10 mins. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for about an hour at room temperature.

　　4.Form pasta sheets by pinching off egg-sized chunks of dough and flattening into patties. Repeatedly fold and put the dough through a pasta machine on the lowest setting until it is a smooth rectangle.

　　To assemble the ravioli:

　　1.Lay the rectangle over a ravioli mold and gently press into the indentations.

　　2.Place spoonfuls of filling into each indentation of the mold.

　　3.Lay a second sheet of pasta over the top and press the sheets together.

　　4.Lightly roll over the top with a rolling pin to ensure the edges of the ravioli are firmly pressed together. Flip the mold over and remove the ravioli.

　　　　To cook the ravioli:

　　1.Place the ravioli in a single layer in a large skillet filled with 2 inches of simmering water.

　　2.Cook for 3 to 5 mins.

　　3.Remove with a slot-spotted spoon. Let drain. Serve immediately with Sage Butter Sauce.

　　Sage Butter Sauce

　　¼cup (1/2 stick) butter

　　10 fresh sage leaves

　　½cup chicken stock

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　¾cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

　　1.Melt butter in small saucepan and sautésage leaves over medium-high heat until crisp.

　　2.Lift leaves out of pan and set aside.

　　3.Add stock to pan and boil for 1 min. Add salt and pepper to taste.

　　4.Drizzle sage sauce over the warm ravioli and crumble sage leaves over the top. Add additional cracked pepper and the grated cheese.