Pumpkin filled ravioli
( Tortelli di zucca )

Pumpkin ravioli recipe

Preparation and cooking

• - Prepare the pumpkin.
  Remove the skin and seeds from the pumpkin and cut in pieces.
  Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake the pumpkin pieces for about 15 minutes or until soft.
• - Meanwhile prepare the pasta dough.
  If you want, you can read my step-by-step instructions to make pasta dough in basic preparations. Link below.
  Sift flour and salt on a clean surface and make a well in the center.
  Beat the eggs and pour into the well.
  Add some tablespoons of warm water.
  Gradually mix eggs and water into the flour with your fingers.
  Knead your pasta dough for about 10 minutes, adding water or flour according to its consistence, in case.
  Let it rest for about 30 minutes.
• - Meanwhile prepare the filling.
  Purée your baked pumpkin in a blender or food processor until smooth and put in a bowl.
  Add all the ingredients you've chosen and stir gently.
• - Complete your filled ravioli.
  Halve your dough.
  Then roll out by hand or machine.
  Roll one piece thinly to a rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
  Sprinkle a little flour on its surface.
  Repeat with the remaining pasta.
  At this point place large spoonfuls of the filling on the dough at 1 - 1.5 inch intervals.
  Dip a pastry brush or your fingers sparingly in water and moisten the pasta dough along the edges of every pasta ring.
  Lift the other pasta sheet over filling.
  Press down around every filling.
  Cut the tortelli into squares or rings with a pastry wheel and transfer to a floured towel.
  Let them rest for 1 hour.
• - Cook tortelli in boiling salted water.
  Cooking time depends on dough thickness.

Just before serving

• - Remove the ravioli from the boling water with a slotted spoon.
  Do not drain. I always suggest this step to avoid their breakage.
  Transfer them to the pan with the warm sauce.
  Stir gently and serve immediately in individual plates.

Note

Tips

• - This kind of fresh pasta can be made the day before.
• - According to the traditional recipe you'd have to season them with melted butter and grated Parmesan. But you can use a light spicy tomato sauce with some red chili pepper. Link below.
• - This is a traditional recipe from the North of Italy. Some ingredients of the filling can be varied according to your personal tastes.
  If you like amaretti and lemon taste, you shouldn't add pepper.
  If you don't like amaretti taste, you can increase Parmesan (150g - 5 1/3 ounces) and egg (2) quantities; but in this case you should add freshly ground pepper to the filling for pumpkin has a sweetish taste.
  Otherwise you can use amaretti and pepper without the rind of lemon.

Menu planning

• - I think pumpkin ravioli is a very tasty dish and I often serve it in winter in full menus for special occasions.
  (some links below).
  It's very useful for your menus in Holiday season because a lot of people like it and this first course can balance the combinations of dishes that are often rich in fat and seasonings.

Useful links for this recipe

• - More details for egg pasta dough how-to?
• - Interested in spicy tomato sauce?
• - Read these menus in which I combined pumpkin ravioli with other Italian dishes: "Christmas menu with seasonal flavors" and "Cheap menu"

Healthy eating

• - Pumpkin ravioli is very interesting from a nutritional point of view. It's a very digestible dish and, as a first course, it is not rich in calories and fat.
  But be careful. Nutrition facts are calculated without its sauce. It is clear that the way in which you decide to season it can make the difference. Butter and Parmesan are much more rich in calories than light sauce made ​​with tomatoes.

Loretta

What's the right wine for " Pumpkin filled ravioli "?

My husband and I usually pair Grignolino d'Asti (Italian red wine from Piedmont)or Bardolino ( Italian wine from Venetian places) to this ravioli recipe.