Autumn is here. The fields are heavy with pumpkins, there is a bit of a chill in the air and our cat, hardly ever to be seen in summer, keeps on sneaking into the house in search of a warm place to sleep. It usually ends up being Duncan’s jumper lying on a chair or a freshly washed kitchen towel 😉 . Cats, eh? ‘What are you so upset about, hooman, it’s just a piece of cloth!?’
My autumn thing is making dumplings, my ultimate comfort food. I spent most of my childhood sitting at my gran’s kitchen table watching her fingers crimp hundreds of little parcels of deliciousness. She was a dumpling queen and I’m determined to keep this dumpling tradition going. Today’s dumplings aren’t what I used to eat as a kid though. They are a bit more refined. I combined my love for dumplings with my love for pumpkin and made a big batch (60 to be exact) of vegan ravioli filled with sweet and spicy pumpkin filling and tangy ricotta cheese I published a few weeks back. These vegan ravioli are really special and even though, as any dumplings, they require a fair bit of work, they are so worth it! Plate them up for your guests and you’ll suddenly find yourself with lots more people asking for their dinner invite…oops…Don’t worry, with some practice you can probably pump out 120 of these every hour 😉 … For vegan AND glute-free ravioli, see THIS RECIPE.
300 g / 10.5 oz 00 flour* (see NOTES) 1/3 tsp turmeric ½ cup + 2 tbsp / 150 ml reduced aquafaba, (see NOTES)
FILLING
2 cups roasted pumpkin cubes (I used butternut pumpkin), 2 lb / 900 g raw 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp lemon juice / apple cider vinegar, more to taste chilli flakes, to taste salt & pepper ½ portion vegan ricotta cheese** (optional, see NOTES)
FOR SERVING (optional)
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly 1 lemon, zest chilli flakes
For this application, aquafaba needs to be reduced to resemble egg whites in consistency. To reduce it simply simmer it (with no lid on) on the stove until excess water content evaporates and remaining liquid becomes thick and ALMOST jelly-like (similar to egg whites). Once reduced, cool aquafaba down completely before using.
