Tortelli di Zucca Mantovani

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Pasta machine or long rolling pin
• •Large wooden board or clean work surface
• •Fine-mesh strainer for draining squash
• •Food mill (optional, for smooth filling)
• •Large pot for boiling pasta
• •Wide skillet for sage butter
• •Spider or slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the squash

   Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until completely tender and deeply caramelized, 50 to 70 minutes depending on size. The flesh should be golden brown in spots. Let cool until you can handle it.

   Italian zucca mantovana has drier, sweeter flesh than American butternut. Butternut works, but you must be more aggressive about removing moisture.
2. 2

   Drain the squash thoroughly

   Scoop the roasted flesh into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Press firmly with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Let it drain for at least 30 minutes, pressing occasionally. The squash must be dry. Wet filling is the death of filled pasta. You should extract at least half a cup of liquid. Discard it.

3. 3

   Make the filling

   Pass the drained squash through a food mill or mash thoroughly with a fork. You should have approximately 500g of squash puree. Add the crushed amaretti, chopped mostarda, grated Parmigiano, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly. Taste. The filling should be sweet but with a sharp, spicy edge from the mostarda. Add salt judiciously. If the mixture seems too loose, add the egg yolk to bind it. Let the filling rest, covered, in the refrigerator while you make the pasta.

   The amaretti must be the crisp kind (amaretti di Saronno), not the soft macaroon style. They provide necessary texture and concentrated almond flavor.
4. 4

   Make the pasta dough

   Mound the flour on a wooden board or clean work surface. Make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well and add the salt. Using a fork, beat the eggs while gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well. When the mixture becomes too stiff to work with a fork, begin kneading with your hands. Knead vigorously for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Roll the pasta

   Divide the dough into four portions. Work with one portion at a time, keeping the rest covered. Roll through a pasta machine, starting at the widest setting and progressively narrowing until you reach the second-thinnest setting. The pasta should be thin enough to see your hand through, but sturdy enough to hold the filling. Lay the sheet on a lightly floured surface.

6. 6

   Shape the tortelli

   Cut the pasta sheet into 8cm (3-inch) squares. Place a rounded tablespoon of filling in the center of each square. Fold corner to corner to form a triangle, pressing firmly around the filling to seal and expel any air. Then bring the two bottom corners of the triangle together around your finger and press to seal, forming the traditional tortelli shape. Place finished tortelli on a flour-dusted tray, not touching. Continue with remaining dough and filling.

   Air trapped inside filled pasta causes them to burst during cooking. Press carefully around each mound of filling to ensure a tight seal.
7. 7

   Make the sage butter

   In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When it foams, add the sage leaves. Let the butter cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, and the sage leaves become crisp. This takes 3 to 4 minutes. Watch carefully. Brown butter becomes burnt butter in seconds. Remove from heat once properly colored.

8. 8

   Cook the tortelli

   Bring a very large pot of water to a gentle boil. Salt it well. Add the tortelli in batches, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fresh filled pasta is delicate. Cook until the pasta is tender and the edges are no longer raw, 3 to 4 minutes. They will float when nearly done. Lift them out with a slotted spoon or spider, draining well.

9. 9

   Sauce and serve immediately

   Transfer the drained tortelli directly to the warm sage butter. Gently toss to coat, adding a splash of pasta water if the butter has thickened. Arrange on warmed plates, 8 tortelli per serving. Spoon any remaining butter and crisp sage leaves over the top. Serve immediately with Parmigiano-Reggiano passed at the table. Once the pasta is sauced, invite your guests to put off talking and start eating.

Chef Tips

• •Mostarda di Cremona is not optional and has no substitute. It is candied fruit preserved in mustard-infused syrup, available at Italian specialty grocers or online. Without it, you are not making tortelli di zucca mantovani. You are making something else.
• •The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. In fact, the flavors marry better overnight. Bring to room temperature before filling the pasta.
• •If the squash variety you find is very wet (as American butternut often is), roast it longer and drain it more aggressively. Some Mantuan cooks wrap the roasted flesh in cheesecloth and squeeze.
• •The traditional shape requires practice. If the ring shape frustrates you, simple half-moon tortelli are acceptable for the home cook, though a Mantuan grandmother would correct you.

Advance Preparation

• •The filling should be made at least 4 hours ahead, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to develop and moisture to stabilize.
• •Shaped tortelli can be frozen on a parchment-lined tray, then transferred to freezer bags. Cook directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to cooking time.
• •The pasta dough can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated, wrapped tightly. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 350g)