When autumn arrives, it means only one thing: it’s time to tackle pumpkin tortelli! Perfect in both autumn and winter, with their intense aroma, they have become a symbol of typical meals during the cold season. Pumpkin tortelli is a recipe originating from Mantova, but they are so good and aromatic that you can find them in the best restaurants throughout northern Italy, in various versions, always featuring her, the pumpkin.
Let’s discover something about this delicious recipe and see how to prepare delicious homemade pumpkin tortelli.
Pumpkin tortelli are one of the great prides of Mantuan cuisine, but as already mentioned, there are numerous variations, such as that of Cremona or the Ferrarese pumpkin tortelli. But what are the origins of this recipe?
The history of this comforting dish dates back to the 1500s when the first settlers brought new plants from the New World, including the pumpkin. The undisputed queen of our recipe, which quickly adapted to the typical Lombard climate, becoming one of the most consumed products by the population of the time.
Then, during the Renaissance, at the courts of the Gonzaga and the Estensi, the concept of local and km0 products began to be valued for the first time, elevating to a new status even peasant cuisine, based on fresh products typical of local lands. It is in this context that the “turtell” of Mantova was born, among which the pumpkin tortello features, made with egg pasta and filled with pumpkin, mostarda, amaretti, cheese, and nutmeg, all seasoned with butter and sage.
Today, pumpkin tortelli are a cult dish, a typical tradition of Lombard cuisine that even sees them as the main course for Christmas Eve, although they are so good that they are now prepared for rich dinners with friends and family or on Halloween. In general, we can say that, to enjoy this dish, all you need is a nice autumn atmosphere, your loved ones, and a good plate of homemade tortelli, a mix capable of warming anyone's heart. So, what are you waiting for? Set the table, call your friends, and tie on your apron: let’s immediately see the recipe for Mantuan tortelli!
The original recipe for Mantuan pumpkin tortelli requires few ingredients, but fresh and of high quality.
You will need:
• 6 eggs
• 600g of flour
• 1 kg of pumpkin
• 200g of freshly grated Grana Padano (plus another equal dose for seasoning)
• 300 g of Amaretti
• 200 g of Mantuan pear mostarda
• 4-5 sage leaves
• Butter to taste
• Salt, nutmeg to taste.
Cut the pumpkin into large wedges, wash it and remove the seeds with a spoon, then cook it in the oven at 220° for about 25 minutes, placing it on the oven rack on a sheet of aluminum foil. Remove the skin, then put the pulp in a bowl and mash well with a fork. Add the 200g of Grana, the crumbled amaretti, the chopped mostarda using a food processor, salt, and nutmeg, then cover and let the mixture rest overnight in the fridge. Start preparing the dough by mixing eggs, flour, and a pinch of salt, then knead by hand for about ten minutes. Shape it into a ball, wrap it, and let it rest for about an hour in the fridge. After this time, divide the dough into four parts, then start working on one of them. Roll it out, trying to obtain a sheet about 3mm thick and at least 10cm wide. Retrieve the filling and place a generous teaspoon every 3 or 4 centimeters, positioning it not in the center, but on one side. Fold the dough, pressing the ends well, then cut out with a cutter wheel. At this point, put the pasta water on the stove, and when it boils, cook the tortelli for about five minutes. In a pan, melt the butter (80g should suffice, but you need to assess based on your taste), allowing the sage to fry inside, then drain the tortelli and toss it all in the pan, finishing beautifully with a nice handful of Grana.
Serve accompanied by a glass of Pinot Grigio or a good Lambrusco, but above all with great joy of sharing a genuine homemade meal.
A delicious alternative to the classic recipe is the pumpkin and ricotta tortelli, ideal for those who prefer to temper the sweetness of the pumpkin, in order to soften its aroma.
You will need:
• 300g Mantuan pumpkin, already cleaned
• 250g of cow's ricotta
• 50g of Parmigiano Reggiano (plus another dose for seasoning)
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 4 eggs
• 400g flour
• 50g of butter
• A few sage leaves
• 1 salt
• 1 pepper
The procedure is not much different from what we saw before. Start with the egg pasta by kneading eggs, flour, and a pinch of salt, then knead for a few minutes, cover, and let it rest for about an hour in the fridge. Cook the pumpkin in the oven for 25 minutes at 180°, then let it cool. Mash the pumpkin pulp, then add the ricotta and mix well. Then add the Parmigiano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then let it rest in the fridge for about thirty minutes.
Retrieve the dough and divide it into three, roll out the pasta with a rolling pin or with the appropriate machine, forming sheets about 10cm wide, then lay them out on the table and with a teaspoon distribute the filling, maintaining a distance of about 4cm. Fold the sheet and cut out the ravioli.
At this point, put a pot with salted water and cook for five minutes. Melt the butter in a pan with the sage, drain the tortelli and toss them in the pan, mixing with the Parmigiano.
And here’s a softer version of the pumpkin tortelli, especially ideal if you have children or diners at the table who might not appreciate the mix of flavors expected from Mantuan tortelli.
Let’s move on to a very sophisticated recipe, namely pumpkin tortelli with black garlic from Voghiera, a unique product in its kind. This is a particular garlic with a characteristic black color obtained through a long fermentation and maturation process that gives it an intense and elegant flavor. Savory and tasty, balsamic, slightly sweet, it is a highly sought-after product, both for its beneficial properties and its unmistakable flavor, which is why it is especially popular in gourmet kitchens.
For this special version of the tortelli, you will need:
• 500 g flour
• 3 eggs
• 70g of black garlic paste
• 400g of Mantuan pumpkin
• 4 amaretti
• 75g of freshly grated Parmigiano
• 20g pumpkin mostarda
• 200g of milk
• 400g of squacquerone cheese
• White garlic
• Rosemary
• Nutmeg, garlic peels, and aromatic herbs
First of all, on a work surface, start working the dough by forming a well of flour with the eggs in the center, then add the black garlic paste and knead for a few minutes. Shape into a ball and let it rest for 30 minutes, then roll it out with a rolling pin.
Prepare the filling by cooking the pumpkin in static oven at 170 degrees for about thirty minutes, then flavor it gently with rosemary and black garlic peels from Voghiera. Blend it together with the amaretti, mostarda, and Parmigiano, a pinch of salt and nutmeg.
Prepare the tortelli (use the procedure explained in the other two recipes), then set a pot with salted water and separately heat the milk to 80°C, dissolving the squacquerone inside with a pinch of salt, blending until obtaining a smooth cream.
Cook the tortelli, then sauté them in a pan with oil, garlic, rosemary, and a bit of cooking water, creating an aromatic emulsion.
Plate the tortelli in a deep dish on a bed of squacquerone cream, then decorate with the aromatic herbs and a bit of the obtained emulsion. This dish will be a truly unique sensory experience.
These are just some of the variants of pumpkin tortelli out there. In our small way, we have tried to give you a general overview of the classic recipes and those of haute cuisine, but as always, the secret ingredient is your desire to experiment!
So, let us know: what is your favorite recipe?
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