Pasta Filling: Cabbage and Clarified Butter

For cabbage filling, cream cheese slightly softens the vegetable to give each bite a tender crunch.

1 recipe Ravioli, Pierogi or Tortellini Pasta Dough

Cabbage Filling:
Two 3-lb heads green cabbage (outer leaves removed)
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
4 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, melted
coarse sea salt and pepper, freshly ground

Clarified Butter:
2 sticks unsalted butter

Cabbage filling:  Quarter and core cabbage. Working in batches, steam cabbage until very tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain; let cool. Working in small batches, place steamed cabbage in a thin kitchen towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Grind cabbage with the fine blade of a meat grinder. Stir in cream cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper. 

Clarified butter:  Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, and let milk solids sink to bottom. Skim foam from surface. Carefully pour off clarified butter, leaving solids behind. Makes 1 cup.

Fill and cook pasta according to dough instructions. Top with clarified butter and serve.

Makes 4 servings.