Cappellacci with Squash Filling

• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 10 or more amaretti cookies, imported from Italy
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 pounds dough for Homemade Tagliatelle (page 136)
• All-purpose flour for rolling and forming the cappellacci
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup or so freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for passing
• A rimmed baking sheet; a food processor; a kitchen towel or cheese-cloth; a pasta-rolling machine; a 2 1/2-inch-diameter round pastry or cookie cutter; a narrow pastry brush; trays or baking sheets lined with floured parchment or kitchen towels

1. Heat the oven to 400 and arrange a rack in the center.
2. Slice the squash lengthwise in half, and then quarters; scoop out and discard seeds.
3. Arrange the wedges, peel side down, on the baking sheet, drizzle olive oil over the cut surfaces of the squash, and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt.
4. Tent the squash with aluminum foil, place the sheet in the oven, and bake 45 minutes, or until the squash flesh is very soft.
5. Meanwhile, grind the amaretti cookies in a food processorusing more cookies if necessaryto make a full cup of fine-textured dry powder.
6. Let the squash cool, then scoop all the flesh from the skin and heap it on the towel or cheesecloth.
7. Bring the edges of the cloth together, enclosing the vegetable, and hold the bundle over a bowl or the sink.
8. Twist the cloth, tightening the towel and squeezing the liquid from the soft flesh.
9. When youve pressed out all the moisture you can, turn the wrung-out squash into a large bowl, and stir and mash it up with a large wooden spoon.
10. Add the ground amaretti, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the grated cheese, nutmeg, and lemon zest, and stir them into the squash.
11. Pour in the beaten eggs, and stir until thoroughly blended and smooth.
12. For the cappellacci: Cut the dough in six equal pieces and roll each out as described on pages 144145.
13. Make cappellacci from one strip at a time.
14. Lay it out in front of you on a lightly floured board.
15. With the round cutter, cut as many 2 1/2-inch circles as you can from the dough strip, pressing firmly and occasionally dipping the sharp edge of the cutter in flour so it doesnt stick.
16. Separate the circles, pulling away the scraps of dough (which can be kneaded together, rested, and rerolled for more pasta).
17. You should get about two dozen circles from the strip.
18. Place a heaping teaspoon of squash filling in the center of each dough circle.
19. With the pastry brush (or your fingertip) dipped in water, lightly moisten the rim of dough around the filling.
20. To form the cappellacci: Pick up a circle and fold it over into a half-round envelope, with the filling inside.
21. Press the moistened edges of dough together to seal.
22. Next, grasp the corners of the semicircle, twist them inward so the points of dough overlap, and pinch them together.
23. Fold and twist all the filled circles into cappellacci, arranging them in a single layer on a lined and floured tray.
24. Make more cappellacci from the other rolled strips of dough (and the rerolled scraps of dough, too).
25. Cappellacci that you will cook soon can be left on the tray, lightly covered.
26. Freeze cappellacci for future use right on the trays until solid, then transfer them to freezer bags, packed airtight and sealed.
27. To cook and serve cappellacci for four, you will need sixty to seventy pieces.
28. Fill a large pasta pot with well-salted water, and bring to the boil.
29. Meanwhile, put the butter and sage leaves in a large skillet or saute pan (at least 12 inches in diameter), and melt butter over low heat; keep the sauce warmbut not cookingso the herb infuses the butter.
30. Drop all the cappellacci into the rapidly boiling water, stir, and return to the boil over high heat.
31. Cook for 3 minutes or longer, until the thickest part of the pasta is cooked through.
32. Lift out cappellacci with a spider, drain, and lay them in the pan of sage butter.
33. Tumble the cappellacci over and over until all are coated; add a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water to extend the sauce if necessary.
34. Sprinkle a cup or so of grated cheese over the cappellacci, and spoon them into warm bowls.
35. Drizzle a bit of the sage butter left in the pan over each portion, and serve immediately, with more cheese at the table.

butternut squash, extravirgin olive oil, kosher salt, amaretti cookies, freshly grated nutmeg, freshly grated lemon zest, eggs, tagliatelle, flour, butter, sage, passing, baking sheet

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cappellacci-with-squash-filling-372296 (may not work)