Go Back
–+ servings
Print
Close-up of Tortelli di Zucca with soft pumpkin filling and melted butter.

Tortelli di Zucca (Pumpkin Tortelli)

Tortelli di Zucca, or Pumpkin Tortelli, is one of Mantova’s most loved dishes, pasta filled with roasted pumpkin and amaretti, served with golden butter and crisp sage leaves.

Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Manuela Zangara

Ingredients

Filling

  • 800 g – 1¾ lbs pumpkin – weighed after being peeled
  • 100 g – 3.5 oz amaretti cookies – powdered
  • 2 tbsp Mostarda Mantovana – finely chopped
  • 100 g – 3.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano – finely grated
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • breadcrumbs
  • salt – to taste

Tortelli

  • 300 g – 10.5 oz flour
  • 3 eggs

Sauce

  • 80 g – 5½ tbsp butter
  • 6 sage leaves
  • salt and pepper
  • Parmigiano Reggiano – finely grated

Instructions

Filling

  1. Cut the pumpkin and bake it in a preheated oven at 140°C – 285°F for 40 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Let it cool down.
  2. Cut out the skin (you can also bake the pumpkin without the skin) and put the pumpkin in a bowl.
  3. Add the powdered amaretti, mostarda Mantovana, Parmigiano Reggiano, nutmeg, and enough breadcrumbs to make a firm and workable filling.
    Process collage showing baked pumpkin, chopped mostarda, and mixed filling for Tortelli di Zucca.

Tortelli

  1. Make the tortelli following my tutorial on How to Make Ravioli or Tortelli.

  2. Set them aside until ready to cook.
    Freshly made tortelli resting on a floured surface before cooking.

Sauce

  1. Put the butter and sage in a small saucepan. Let the butter melt over medium heat, and gently fry the sage in it.
    Butter melting with fresh sage leaves in a pan for the sauce.
  2. Remove from the heat as soon as it starts to bubble (you don’t want it to brown). Add a pinch of salt.

Assembling

  1. Cook the tortelli following the steps on How to Cook Pasta al Dente.

    Only in this case, you will not have a preset cooking time. This will vary depending on the thickness of your pasta (it should take approximately a couple of minutes to cook if you have just made the pasta).

    Notes: If a number of hours have passed since you made the pasta, it will be slightly dry and could take between 10-12 minutes to cook.

    The best solution is to taste it. Remember to check the joint where your pasta is thicker. It should remain firm to be al dente.

  2. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and put it in the pan with the butter and sage sauce. Mix well over low heat for a minute.
  3. Serve hot with some finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano on top.