My Tortellini di Zucca

To make the pasta simply put the flour. salt water and egg into a food processor (I use my Thermomix) and pulse until it just comes together. If you have a kneading function on your equipment use that to knead until it becomes firm. If not, put it out onto a lightly floured bench and knead. Wrap in plastic and set aside for an hour.

Preheat oven to about 200°C and roughly chop your pumpkin into slides leaving skin on. Lightly cover in oil so it doesn’t burn and put skin side down on an oven tray. Cook until tender

Remove from oven and cool until its safe to handle then scoop flesh from skin and put in sieve.

Press as much moisture out of pumpkin as possible and place in a saucepan.

Heat the pumpkin mixture so that more moisture evaporates. If you have a stick mixer now is a good time to remove as many lumps as possible. If you don’t, mash as well as you can.

Add some cream, but not too much, you want your mixture to be a bit like a smooth paste. Taste it and add some salt if necessary. It should taste lovely and sweet. Allow it to cool.

Once your pasta is ready divide it into workable portions and start rolling. It is important that your pasta does not dry out, so use a damp cloth to cover as you go. I usually roll my pasta out to about 8, but sometimes 7 if I’m not that happy with the consistency. The thinner the better, but you have to be able to work with it.

Once rolled, cut circles and place a teaspoon sized amount of the mixture into the centre and then lightly wet the edges to seal and close. Make sure you place them on a dusted surface so that they don’t stick and all your hard work is ruined. You can cook these straight away, or put them in the fridge or freezer for later. If you decide to freeze, first put them separately on a tray to freeze and once frozen put them in a container. This will prevent them from sticking to each other.

Boil a pot of water and add some salt. Before you put the pasta in to cook, make your sauce. Heat the butter in a saucepan and bring it up to a brown colour, it will taste a little nutty when its just right. Before you serve, put the fresh sage in and see it sizzle. The pasta will only take a minute or 2 to cook. Once they float, they are good to go. Put them in a bowl, cover in sauce and enjoy!

You will note that I didn’t put quantities for all the items, this is because a lot of this is done with judgement on the day and you really can’t go too wrong 🙂