Pumpkin Cappellacci

Description

We first have evidence of egg pasta and pumpkin cultivation in Ferrara in the 16th century, but pumpkin cappellacci are only mentioned in 1584. They are mentioned in the text "Dello Scalco" by Giovan Battista Rossetti, steward at the Este court during the reign of Alfonso II d'Este. In the text, they are described as “pumpkin tortelli with butirro," meaning "with butter.”

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Recipe

Start by making the dough, mixing the flour and eggs. Knead the dough for about ten minutes until it becomes elastic and soft. Leave it to rest in the fridge for an hour.
Then prepare the filling by baking the pumpkin in the oven without any seasoning and leaving it to cool. Using a fork, mash it until it forms a fairly smooth paste, add the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, mix well and season with salt and pepper. Once the pastry has been rolled out to a thickness of a few millimetres, use a teaspoon to place small amounts of filling in the centre of the pastry squares and close them as you would with cappelletti.
Cook them in plenty of salted water for about 5 minutes, removing them with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface.
Dip them in a meat ragù sauce and serve with a final sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

NB: for a vegetarian version, try them with butter and sage – the contrast with the sweetness of the pumpkin will be surprising!