Pumpkin tortelli

We know neither the inventor nor the historical moment when pumpkin tortelli were created. According to some, they may have been born on the sumptuous tables of the Gonzaga family. What is certain is that over time, pumpkin tortelli have become an integral part of local tradition, both in the city and in the country, a symbol of the feast in the province. They were cooked for special occasions and for the celebrations of the liturgical calendar, which at that time marked daily life, especially in the countryside. The women prepared them, according to the family recipe, handed down from mother to daughter. The condiments changed from winter to summer: in the cold season butter was preferred, in the hot season vegetables were used, such as tomato.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

100 g amaretti

600 g pumpkin pulp

Pepper

Salt

100 g grated Grana Padano

100 g Mantuan mustard (preferably pear)

 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE PASTA

400 g flour

4 medium eggs

1 pinch of salt for the seasoning

200 g butter

Grated Grana Padano

PREPARATION

Clean the pumpkin: wash it, dry it well, cut it into slices, clean it of internal filaments and seeds and then peel it.
At this point, wrap the pumpkin slices in a tin foil and cook them in the oven for about 1 hour at 180 (check doneness with a toothpick or fork).
When the pumpkin is tender, remove it from the oven and let it cool, then pass it through a sieve or blend in a mixer. Then chop the Mantua mustard finely.
Add the mustard to the pumpkin puree and add the pulverized amaretti biscuits, mix with a wooden ladle, and add the grated Parmesan, lemon zest, nutmeg and a pinch of salt.
Mix everything until the ingredients are well blended and let the filling rest for at least 1 hour, so that the aromas mix.
In the meantime, prepare the dough for the tortelli, working the flour with the eggs and a pinch of salt on a flat surface.
Roll out a thin sheet of puff pastry and divide it into two equal parts. On one part of the pastry, arrange some balls of filling about 5 cm apart from each other and with the other part cover everything, closing the edges well with your hands after having slightly moistened them with a brush dipped in water.
Then cut the tortelli into squares that have a side of 4 cm and let them rest on a floured surface until ready to cook, turning them every now and then to ensure they do not stick.
Then put a pot of salted water to boil and when the water boils, pour in the tortelli and leave to cook until cooked, turning them gently every now and then; finally, drain them with a slotted spoon.
Then arrange the tortelli in a bowl or a serving dish and season them in layers with melted butter and Grana; serve them hot.