Tortelli di zucca with sage butter

Sweet, savoury and a little mostarda

Tortelli di zucca are associated with Mantua, in Lombardy. The filling is distinctive for its combination of pumpkin, Parmesan, amaretti and mostarda: sweet, savoury and lightly spiced in every bite. Mostarda di frutta is candied fruit in a syrup with mustard essence; it is not the same as mustard sauce. The exact ingredients vary from recipe to recipe and household to household. For this version, use a mild fruit mostarda and finely chop the fruit so it is evenly distributed through the filling.

Pumpkin is widely available in the Netherlands from late summer through winter. A firm butternut squash or musquée de Provence squash works well. Roasting concentrates the flavour and evaporates moisture, making the filling firm enough to stay inside the thin pasta dough. Let the pumpkin cool after roasting and drain off any liquid if needed. If the purée is still soft, stir in a little extra Parmesan; don’t simply add flour, as that will make the filling heavy.

Amaretti add a subtle almond flavour and absorb a little moisture, too. Crumble them finely, but taste the filling before adding extra salt: the cheese and mostarda already bring plenty of flavour. No amaretti at home? Use a little fine breadcrumbs and a drop of almond extract, or leave out the almond flavour. Without mostarda, the dish will be less distinctive; finely chopped candied orange peel with a pinch of mustard powder is a workable, but clearly different, substitute.

The pasta dough needs to be thin enough to become tender when cooked, but sturdy enough to hold the filling. Roll it out in batches and keep the rest covered so it doesn’t dry out. Press the air out around each mound of filling before sealing the tortelli: air pockets can burst open during cooking. Cook them in plenty of salted water and remove them as soon as they float and the dough is cooked through; the exact time depends on the thickness.

Brown the butter gently until it smells nutty and turns golden, not dark. Sage adds fragrance to the sauce, while extra Parmesan gives it a salty, savoury finish. Serve the tortelli straight away as a main course, with a simple green salad alongside if you like. You can freeze shaped, uncooked tortelli briefly on a flour-dusted tray, then store them in an airtight container; cook them straight from frozen and allow a little extra time. Store leftovers covered in the fridge and warm them gently in a frying pan with a splash of water or a little butter.