Cheesy Pumpkin Ravioli

This recipe was inspired by a delicious ravioli I had at a restaurant (Cactus Club's butternut squash ravioli). I converted it into a pumpkin sauce and incorporated some of the same ingredients found in pumpkin pie. It's easy to make and takes only 20 minutes from start to finish. Perfect autumn comfort food.

Ingredients

• 1 (30 ounce) package cheese ravioli
• 0.5 cup mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 ½ cups skim milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 0.5 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 0.3333333333333333 cup pine nuts

Steps

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in ravioli and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until ravioli float to the top and filling is hot, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain.
2. Melt mascarpone cheese, butter, and a pinch black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir milk, pumpkin, Pecorino Romano cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, 2 teaspoons salt, and nutmeg into mascarpone cheese mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until sauce thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Add cooked ravioli into sauce and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top each serving with pine nuts.