Argentina’s passion for red meat and wine, is closely followed by their love of pasta  – one of the nation’s favourite foods. Across the country menus feature a variety of pasta dishes that the Italian immigrants of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century brought with them However, Argentines claim that there’s nothing in Italy quite like a sorrentino, making them an Argentine invention. Unlike their close relative the ravioli, which aims for a balance between dough and filling, sorrentinos are plump and overstuffed. 

As with other stuffed pastas, both the sorrentino dough and the filling can be imaginatively flavoured to create an endless number of options. The choice of sauce also adds another aspect to the dish. Typically Argentine restaurants offer a selection of different pastas and then a separate list of sauces to choose from, allowing you to mix and match as the mood takes you. A favourite on the estancia is butternut squash stuffed sorrentinos with a blue cheese sauce. 

This is one of my favourite dishes on the estancia and I am really looking forward to cooking it when I get home for my family. The combination of a simple tasty filling with strong cheese sauce is incredible!!!! [insert love heart eyes here]. If blue cheese sauce isn’t for you simply a melted butter and sage sauce is fabulous and less overpowering – perfect when the days are a little hotter and you do not need the comfort food element of this dish!

1 egg per 100g of flour with the addition of one extra egg yolk  (100g of flour per person) | Olive oil | Salt | Water | Butternut Squash

PASTA

Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the eggs then mix together.

Add tepid water and the olive oil as you are mixing. 

Only add a littleolive oil – too much and it will be harder to roll as the mixture will split and become less flexible. 

FILLING

Cut the butternut squash in half down the middle and then roast in the oven until it is soft and will peel away from the skin. 

Mash the butternut squash

SAUCE

Melt blue cheese and butter in a pan, once you begin to cook the pasta – add cream to make the sauce smooth and give it a better consistency. Be careful not to burn the sauce. 

Make the raviolis using lots of filling but ensuring they are well sealed. Seal using water.