Recipe(tried): Pumpkin Ravioli with Gorgonzola Sauce and Sweet and Tangy Roasted Pork Tenderloin

I made the pumpkin ravioli as an appetizer for company this past weekend and it was a huge hit. The recipe comes from Cooking Light Magazine.

I followed it with the Sweet and Tangy Roasted Pork Tenderloin. In the same pan I also roasted both white and sweet potatoes cut up into chunks along with a large sweet onion, also cut up into chunks. I drizzled them with olive oil and roasted the vegetables for about 30 minutes prior to adding the pork, which I placed atop the vegetables.

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH GORGONZOLA SAUCE

You can assemble the ravioli a day ahead, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. The ravioli will float when they are perfectly cooked. Pour a chilled chardonnay.

1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
30 round wonton wrappers
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooking spray
1 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Spoon pumpkin onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels, and spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl using a rubber spatula. Stir in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, minced sage, pepper, and nutmeg.
Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep from drying), spoon 2 teaspoons pumpkin mixture into the center of wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water and fold in half, pressing edges firmly with fingers to form a half-moon. Place on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch. Repeat procedure with remaining wonton wrappers and pumpkin mixture.

Fill a large Dutch oven with water; bring to a simmer. Add half of ravioli to pan (cover remaining ravioli with a damp towel to keep from drying). Cook 4 minutes or until done (do not boil), stirring gently. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon; lightly coat with cooking spray, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli.

Combine milk and flour in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until butter melts. Gently stir in Gorgonzola.

Place 5 ravioli in each of 6 shallow bowls, and drizzle each serving with 3 tablespoons Gorgonzola mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

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SWEET-AND-TANGY ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a shallow dish; add pork, turning to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Remove pork from dish, reserving marinade. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush with reserved marinade. Insert a meat thermometer into thickest portion of pork.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until thermometer registers 155 degrees (slightly pink). Remove from oven; cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces).