Ben Blake's Roasted Kabocha Squash and Kale toasted Ravioli with a spicy lemon sardine cream sauce and toasted parmesan bread crumbs

• Recipes appear exactly as presented to the Cook of the Week Challenge judges.

Serves 4

Ravioli

80 wonton wrappers

¼ cup water

Filling For Ravioli

1 quartered kabocha squash

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 pinches of brown sugar

4 pinches of salt and pepper

1.5lbs of kale with center stalk removed

1.5tbsp butter

1 clove of garlic

½ cup chopped red onion

1.5 tbsp. flour

2 cups of warmed milk

1 tsp. nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup ricotta cheese

Parmesan Bread Crumbs

1.5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic minced

1 slice of wheat bread crumbled

Zest of a lemon

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp. dried basil

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Spicy Lemon Cream Sardine Sauce

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

2 strips of bacon or pancetta

1 medium white onion

1 can of King Oscar Sardines with Tapatio drained

1 Tbsp. capers

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2/3 cup white wine

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup cream

Garlic Bread

1 French or Italian loaf of bread

4 tbsp. melted butter

3 tbsp. garlic salt.

Roasted Kabocha Squash and Kale Ravioli

Turn on the oven to 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the quartered squash on the sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the pieces of squash and add a pinch of brown sugar, salt and pepper to each piece. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until the squash looks slightly brown on the edges.

While the squash is cooking, add the butter, garlic and onion to a pan on medium heat. Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the onion is translucent careful not to burn the garlic. Next, add the flour to create a roux, cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown (do not let it get too dark because then your butter has burned). Next add the warm milk and nutmeg cook until the mixture has slightly thickened about 4 minutes. Finally, turn to low heat and add in the kale. Mix for about a minute and let cook for about 3 then remove from heat and place in blender or food processor.

Once the squash is done add it to the blender with the kale and add the ricotta cheese. Blend until smooth and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and prepare to fill your ravioli.

Ravioli

With the filling completed, place 40 of the wonton wrappers on parchment paper. Take about 1 tbsp. or spoonful of filling place on wrapper. Wet the edges on bottom wrapper and place another wrapper on top and pinch close. Pinch around the filling and trim off excess dough being careful not to get closer than 1/8 inch to the filling. Set in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Boil a large pot of water until you have a rolling boil. Reduce heat once boiling to bring to a simmer, too harsh of a boil may rip open the ravioli. Place the ravioli in the water and cook. The ravioli will sink when raw and float to the top when they are cooked. Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel. Once fully boiled, lightly oil a skillet and heat on medium-high heat. Toast the ravioli on the skillet until golden brown about 30-45 sec per side. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm or use a warm setting on the oven.

Bread Crumbs

Take a sauce pan and put on stove on medium heat. Oil the pan with the olive oil and add the garlic, cook for about 2 minutes. Next add the bread crumbs, lemon zest, and basil to the pan. Coat bread crumbs in oil and toast for an additional 2-4 min. Careful not to burn the bread crumbs. Remove from heat and set in a bowl when toasted. Add the parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Lemon Sardine Cream Sauce

Using the same pan used for the bread crumbs, add the oil and 2 strips of bacon/pancetta. Render the fat off all the bacon/pancetta on medium heat for about 2-4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Next, add the sardines and mash with a spoon in the pan then add the capers and red pepper flakes, cook for about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and wine and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat and slowly stir in cream and slightly thicken by cooking for a few minutes. Remove from heat, blend or process until smooth and set aside for plating.

Garlic Bread

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take bread and slice in half and put on cookie sheet lined with foil. Generously coat bread in butter and garlic salt. Bake the bread for about 8-12 minutes in the oven (depending on level of toasting you want). Remove from oven and serve on plate.

Plating:

Lay the ravioli down about 8-10 per plate, put the cream sauce on top of the ravioli and finish the plate with the toasted bread crumbs, freshly grated parmesan and pepper. Add garlic bread to the side of the plate and serve.