RECIPE of the MONTH
Pumpkin Cannelloni with Clams and Sage Brown Butter
Ingredients
cannelloni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb sugar pumpkin or other sweet winter squash such as butternut,
peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (3 cups)
3/4 cup diced (1/4 inch) fennel bulb (sometimes called anise)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1/4 cup water
4 (6- by 4-inch) fresh pasta rectangles
1 tablespoon olive oil
clam sauce
2 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
20 small hard-shelled clams (2 lb) such as littlenecks (less than
2
inches wide), scrubbed well
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
sage brown butter
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
8 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Make filling and form cannelloni:
Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat
until foam subsides, then sautÈ squash and fennel with
salt and
pepper, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 4 minutes.
Add
shallot and water and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender,
about 10 minutes. Cool vegetables, then purÈe in a food
processor
until smooth and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Cook pasta sheets in a 4- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water
until al dente, 1 to 2 minutes, then immediately transfer with
a
slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to cool. Drain well,
then pat sheets dry on paper towels and arrange in 1 layer in
a
well-oiled large shallow baking pan. Spoon 1/4 cup filling along
1
short end of a rectangle, then roll up filling in pasta. Make
3 more
rolls in same manner and arrange, seam sides down, in baking pan.
Drizzle cannelloni with oil.
Make clam sauce and bake cannelloni:
Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring,
until fat is rendered but bacon is not yet crisp, about 5 minutes.
Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add
garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add
clams, wine, fennel seeds, and sage and cook, covered, until clams
are fully open, 6 to 10 minutes, checking every minute after 6
minutes and removing clams as they fully open. (Discard any clams
that have not opened after 10 minutes.)
While clams are cooking, bake cannelloni in middle of oven until
heated through, 6 to 8 minutes.
Make sage brown butter:
Heat butter in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high
heat until foam subsides, then fry sage leaves until crisp, about
3
minutes. Transfer leaves with slotted spoon to paper towels to
drain. Season with salt. Add shallot to butter and cook, stirring,
until shallot is golden and butter is deep golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add lemon juice (butter will foam), then remove from heat. Stir
in
parsley and season brown butter with salt and pepper.
To serve, put a cannelloni in center of each of 4 warm large
plates.
Divide clams with juices among plates and drizzle with brown butter.
Top with fried sage leaves.
Makes 4 first-course servings.
