Fried Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Orange Sage Ricotta Dip

I was provided with product samples at no cost to me. I did not accept monetary compensation for writing about these products or about my experiences while using them. Buitoni has provided the prizes for this giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'm not entirely sure when I first encountered fried ravioli (I'm guessing it was during my high school years), but I do know that I love it. From the crispy outside to the slight chew of the dough to the creamy filling... My mouth is watering just at the thought of taken the freshly fried ravioli and dipping them into a bowl of marinara sauce.

Life's little pleasures.

When given the opportunity to try Buitoni's new Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti, I knew exactly how I wanted to prepare them. I was going to give those luscious pouches of pasta the royal treatment -- a bath in eggs that had been slightly beaten and then a roll in Panko seasoned with salt and pepper. 

Their ultimate destination? A frying pan containing hot extra-virgin olive oil.

The packaged pasta made it really easy to pull this dish together in no time. 

It would have been just as easy to heat up some jarred marinara sauce while the agnolotti were frying to serve alongside the pasta, but, frankly, jarred marinara sauce wasn't going to cut it here. I wanted to create an accompaniment that would help cut the richness of the filling while accentuating the flavor of the roasted butternut squash.

Calling on the combination of orange and sage seemed like the perfect solution, as orange brings out the sweetness of the squash and sage brings out its earthiness.

Mix with ricotta cheese and mascarpone cheese and you have something crazy good. I mean seriously, ridiculously, tasty. It may seem like a strange concept to dip the agnolotti in ricotta cheese... especially since ricotta cheese is in the filling... But it really does lightens things up.

Trust me.

Interested in trying Buitoni's new product to the test in your own kitchen? Then, you're in luck! I've got a stack of coupons for FREE PASTA, provided by the generous folks at Buitoni, and they're yours for the winning!

Five lucky readers (US only) will each win one coupon good for "One (1) Complimentary Buitoni Refrigerated Pasta Up to 9 oz. or Any Size Sauce".

To enter:

• Leave a comment on this post and let me know how you'd prepare the Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti. (Make sure I have a way of contacting you if you're named one of the winners!) No contact info, no prize.

The deadline to enter is 11:59pm ET on Wednesday, July 25, 2012. The five winners will be chosen with the help of Random.org and will be announced on Friday, July 27, 2012.

Can't wait to read your ideas! Good luck!  Now... Let's get to the recipe.

Fried Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Orange Sage Ricotta Dip

Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 4 sage leaves, chiffonaded
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 package Buitoni Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, orange zest, orange juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sage until just combined. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if you feel it necessary. Cover and chill for 5 minutes.


2. Crack the eggs into a shallow dish and beat slightly with a fork. Set aside.


3. In another shallow dish, combine Panko with the remaining salt and the black pepper. Set aside.


4. Take one agnolotto and dip in the beaten eggs until coated on both sides. Allow any excess to drip off before dredging both sides in the Panko mixture. Set the breaded agnolotto aside on a plate and repeat the process with the remaining pasta.


5. Remove the ricotta cheese mixture from the refrigerator. (You want this to be slightly chilled when serving.)


6. Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Pour the olive oil into the pan and heat for another 1-2 minutes.


7. Working in batches, gently lower the agnolotti into the oil oil and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until the first side is golden brown. Carefully turn the pasta over to fry on the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the second side is golden brown.


8. Remove the pasta from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt.


9. Serve hot or at room-temperature with the ricotta cheese mixture on the side.

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