Roasted Pumpkin Tortelli – Tortelli di Zucca
Traditional Mantuan Homemade Egg Pasta Filled with Sweet Roasted Pumpkin, Amaretti Cookies, Mostarda, and Parmesan
This classic homemade pasta from Lombardy features a rich egg-yolk dough encasing a sweet, deeply spiced roasted pumpkin filling.
The secret is balancing sweet squash with crushed amaretti cookies and mustard-flavored mostarda, chilling the filling before piping, and tossing the al dente tortelli in nutty brown butter and sage. Enjoy the recipe!
Recipe
- Make Silk Dough & Roast Squash: Combine Tipo 00 and semolina flours, make a well with egg yolks, olive oil, and cold water, and knead into an elastic dough; rest for 30 minutes. Roast covered pumpkin cubes at 180°C (350°F) for 30–40 minutes until tender.
- Prepare Filling & Chill: Mash roasted pumpkin, stir in crumbled amaretti cookies, chopped mostarda (optional), grated Parmesan, lemon zest, and nutmeg. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so the mixture firms up.
- Shape Tortelli: Roll pasta dough into 1mm thin sheets. Pipe filling mounds, fold pasta over, press out all trapped air pockets, and seal. Slice into individual parcels with a fluted pastry wheel.
- Boil & Toss in Sage Butter: Boil tortelli in salted water for 3–4 minutes until they float. Meanwhile, brown butter with fresh sage leaves in a pan. Transfer cooked tortelli to the butter, add a splash of pasta water to emulsify, and serve with extra Parmesan!
💡 Chef Notes & Tips
- Freezing Tortelli: Freeze raw shaped tortelli in a single layer on a tray for 2–3 hours, then store in a Ziploc bag for up to 2 months. Boil directly from frozen for 5 minutes.
- Sourcing Mostarda: Traditional Mostarda di Mantova features candied fruits in a spicy mustard syrup. If unavailable, mince candied pears or apples and mix with a touch of Dijon mustard.
