Last fall, several New York state wine producers gathered to host a gorgeous six-course “Cab Franc Forward N.Y. Winemaker Dinner” at The Pridwin Hotel & Cottages on Shelter Island, showcasing the versatility and ease of the grape—not just in winemaking across the Empire State, but at the dinner table, too.
Cab Franc Forward (see p. 32 for our full story) is a bold collective of pioneering New York wineries with a mission to redefine the state’s flagship red grape, cabernet franc, as a premier red with elegance and complexity, drawing attention to the incredible talent emerging from regions as far as the Finger Lakes and as near as our own backyard on eastern Long Island.
It’s a mission Pridwin’s executive chef, Todd Ruiz, could sink his culinary chops into. He didn’t just design a menu; he curated a balanced tasting experience to truly showcase the grape’s peripatetic pairing possibilities.
The Pridwin Hotel & Cottages executive chef Todd Ruiz. (Photo credit: Doug Young)
Ruiz, who has more than 20 years’ experience in the culinary world and hotel resorts in particular, was meticulous, first tasting each wine to understand its differences, and aiming for a careful balance of flavor and texture. As he explains, he sought to pair “light, refreshing flavors” with “deep, rich, umami-forward flavors that match the more robust expressions of cab franc.” This commitment to cab franc exploration ensured the dinner, from start to finish, portrayed a perfect harmony between bright, delicate dishes and the complex, intense flavors required to complement elegant reds from pioneering wineries like Paumanok, Macari, Wölffer Estate, Fjord Vineyards, and Hermann J. Wiemer Winery.
One of the standouts of the night? A gorgeously savory duck and butternut squash ravioli that drew more than a few “mmms” from the crowd. This dish isn’t your nonna’s Sunday pasta (unless your nonna is a professional chef!). It’s a serious undertaking, a genuine labor of love that yields stunning, double-filled pasta pockets.
Winemakers from all over New York State, like Roman Roth from Wolffer (below) gathered at the Pridwin for a cabernet franc dinner last fall. (Photo credit: Doug Young)
You get the savory, rich punch of braised duck leg on one side, perfectly balanced by the sweet-leaning, creamy-textured roasted local butternut squash on the other. Elegant and complex yet oh-so comforting, it’s a dish that clings to the savory, saturated side of cabernet franc.
We know it’s a gourmet mission, but we’re encouraging you to take it on. Ruiz’s recipe is an exercise in patience and precision, but the result is an absolute showstopper you’ll be proud to serve — especially when you complete the experience by pairing it with a glass of 2023 Wölffer Estate Vineyard “Caya” Cabernet Franc, the wine Ruiz selected for the course.
Tips For The Home Cook
Since this is such an intensive dish, we asked Ruiz for his best advice to ensure success at home. Planning and temperature control are your best friends here.
Prep ahead: You’re braising duck and roasting squash anyway! Prepare each filling the day before you plan to assemble the ravioli. Prepping ahead breaks the process into manageable chunks.
Keep it cold: Ensuring the fillings and the pasta dough are very cold will make the assembly process much cleaner and smoother, especially when sealing the pockets.
Don’t skimp on seasoning: Taste your fillings, chef Todd insists! Adjust the salt, pepper and nutmeg levels before adding them to the pasta. Once you seal the ravioli, you can’t fix the seasoning.
Moisture is key: As you work with the pasta machine, be sure to keep your sheets covered and protected from exposure to air. Keep any pasta sheets you aren’t actively filling covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out and cracking.
Cab franc superstars, from left to right: Hermann J. Weimer co-owner Oskar Bynke, Wolffer winemaker and co-owner Roman Roth, Fjord co-owner Casey Erdmann, Wolffer co-owner Max Rohn, Paumanok winemaker Kareem Massoud and Macari winemaker Byron Elmendorf. (Photo credit: Doug Young)
Chef Todd Ruiz’s Duck and Butternut Squash Ravioli
Ingredients
FOR THE RAVIOLI DOUGH
- 1 cup semolina flour
- 1 cup 00 flour (or all-purposeflour)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- extra flour for dusting
FOR THE BRAISED DUCK LEGFILLING
- 3 duck legs (bone-in,skin-on)
- 2 large shallots, large diced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 8 cremini mushrooms, largediced
- 3 stems rosemary
- 1 small bundle thyme
- 1 dry red wine (like cabernetsauvignon)
- 1 quart chicken stock
- salt and black pepper, to taste
FOR THE BUTTERNUT SQUASHFILLING
- 2 medium butternutsquashes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup pecorino cheese,finely grated
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
FOR THE DOUGH
- Mound the flours and salt on a clean work surface and create a large well in the center.
- Add the eggs and olive oil into the well. Beat the wet ingredients with a fork, gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well until a thick, shaggy paste forms.
- Knead the dough with your hands for 8-10 minutes until it’s smooth, elastic and bounces back when poked (like modelingclay).
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
FOR THE DUCK FILLING
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a deep sauté pan or Dutchoven, season the duck legs generously with salt and pepper. Sear them, skin-side down, until the skin is golden and much of the fat has rendered (about 8-10 minutes). Remove excess fat if desired.
- Add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms and allow them to caramelize slightly. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Allow the wine to reduce slightly.
- Add the chicken stock and herb bundles (rosemary and thyme). Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover the pan and place it in the oven. Braise for 2 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove the duck legs from the pan, saving the braising liquid. Pick andfinely chop all the duck meat. Place in a mixing bowl, addsome of the strained braising liquid back in (2–4 tbsp), and check seasoning. Place the mixture into a disposable pastry bag and cool completely in the refrigerator.
FOR THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the butternut squash in halfand scoop out the seeds. Place the squash on a sheet pan, fleshside up. Drizzle with oil, salt, pepper, maple syrup andnutmeg.
- Roast for about 1 hour, or until tender and caramelized. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes to cool.
- Scoop the flesh onto a cutting board and roughly chop. Transfer the squash to a mixing bowl, stir in the grated Pecorino cheese and check the seasoning. Move this mixture to a separatedisposable pastry bag and cool completely.
TO ASSEMBLE AND COOK
- Using a pasta machine, roll the rested dough out to the sec-ond-to-thinnest setting (about 1/16th inch thick). Precut thesheets to roughly 24 inches by 5 inches.
- Lay one pasta sheet flat. Pipe the duck mixture onto one halfof the sheet and the butternut squash mixture onto the oppo-site half, leaving space in between.
- Lightly brush the center seam with water. Fold the unfilledside of the pasta sheet evenly over the filled side, pressing to remove air and completely encase the fillings.
- Use a dowel to mark each ravioli, pressing gently to seal,and seal the two open ends. With a pasta cutter or knife, cuteach ravioli and separate them gently. Place the finished ravioli onto a sheet pan dusted with semolina flour.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a low boil (not a vigorous rolling boil). Gently place the ravioli into the water and allow them to cook for 3–4 minutes, maximum. They will float when done.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and serve immediately with brown butter
