Pumpkin Tortellini

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH

• 1 KG OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, PLUS A BIT EXTRA FOR SPRINKLING
• 6 SEPARATED EGGS
• ½ TABLESPOON OF SALT 

FOR THE FILLING

• 1 MEDIUM KABOCHA PUMPKIN
• ½ ONION, DICED
• 3 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
• 2 TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER
• ¼ BUNCH OF PARSLEY AND SCALLIONS, CHOPPED
• 1 TEACUP OF GRATED COLONIAL OR PARMESAN CHEESE 
• SALT AND BLACK PEPPER TO TASTE 

FOR FINISHING

• 6 TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER
• ½ TEACUP OF SAGE LEAVES
• GRATED COLONIAL OR PARMESAN CHEESE, FOR SPRINKLING

PREPARATION

For the dough, put the flour on a working surface, open a whole in the middle and put in the yolks and salt. Slowly add ½ teacup of water, mixing until soft, flexible, and not sticky (you may not need to add all the liquid). Cover with a cloth and allow it to rest outside the fridge for 30 minutes.

For the filling, bake the whole pumpkin in an oven at 200°C for 35 to 40 minutes, or until very tender. Open, discard the seeds and remove the squash. Braise the onions and garlic in butter, add the squash and season with a bit of salt and black pepper. Add the parsley, scallions, and the cheese, mix and allow to cool.

With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 2 to 3 mm of thickness and cut equally sized squares. Put a spoonful of pumpkin over half of the squares and cover with the remaining pieces of dough. Wet the edges of the squares, pressing down, to secure them.

Cook the torteis in plenty of water with salt. In another pot, heat the butter and add the sage. When the dough rises to the water’s surface, cook for 1 minute, take out and transfer to a pot with the butter. Continue to do this while you add ladles of the cooking water, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Serve with grated cheese.

IN DETAIL: A variation of the Italian “tortelli”, this fresh pasta shaped like a turnover is almost mandatory during the Italian festivals in Serra Gaúcha (the highlands of Rio Grande do Sul) and during the Sunday lunches.