Today's guest post is from our dear friend Chef Michael Pagliarini of Benedetto, located on the second floor of The Charles Hotel:

As a chef, inspiration abounds during the fall in New England and I find myself searching for hearty, rich flavors that pair perfectly with crisp, autumn air. This year, I was seduced by a sweet potato. Sweet Beauregard’s from Eva’s Garden, to be precise. They are a beautiful deep, rich orange color and the perfect texture and sweetness to fill our house made ravioli. The result is Benedetto’s Sweet Potato and Ricotta Ravioli with Caramelized Onion Butter, Hazelnuts and Sage… a riff on the traditional Tortelli di Zucca (pumpkin ravioli) that dates back to the 16th century in the town of Mantova, Italy. In our version, the sweet potatoes and ricotta replace the pumpkin to make an addictively creamy, rich filling; the onion butter coats the pasta in a silky broth; and the hazelnuts add just the right crunch. Add a splash of aged sherry vinegar to balance the natural sweetness from the potatoes and onion and you have an ode to fall in the form of pasta. For the full tour of fall at Benedetto, we’d suggest these standout dishes:

Sfizi:

White bean bruschetta with roasted mushrooms and charred onions

Antipasti:

Buffalo mozzarella with roasted autumn squash, pine nuts, golden raisins and maitake mushroom conserva

Pasta:   

Sweet potato and ricotta ravioli with caramelized onion butter, toasted hazelnuts and fried sage

Pappardelle with red wine braised duck legs and fresh burgundy black truffles. Garnished with toasted pistachio and heirloom chicories

Secondi:               

East coast halibut with pumpkin velutatta, hen of the woods, wilted greens, turnip, fresh apple and pumpkin seeds

Roasted chicken with autumn vegetables, heirloom squash crema and Umbrian lentils

Grilled swordfish with root vegetable caponata, pine nuts, sweet Nardello pepper and fall greens

Benedetto is open seven days a week for dinner service Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. For more information, visit benedettocambridge.com or call 617.661.5050.