pansoti di zucca
for 6
Ligurian Basic Pasta (see here)
semolina flour and Tipo ‘00’ pasta flour for dusting
freshly grated Parmesan
filling
1 kg onion squash or orange-fleshed pumpkin, washed
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
80 g fresh breadcrumbs
100 g Parmesan, freshly grated
100 g fresh ricotta cheese, lightly beaten
3 large, organic free-range eggs, lightly beaten
sage butter
1 large bunch of fresh sage leaves
180 g unsalted butter
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, then cut into 3 cm thick slices. Season each slice with salt and pepper, place in a roasting tin and dry-roast for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft. Cool. Push the roast pumpkin, skin and all, through a mouli. Strain off any liquid, though there should not be much.
Chop the marjoram leaves together with the garlic and add to the pumpkin. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and ricotta. Test for seasoning. Stir all together, then fold in the beaten eggs.
Sprinkle a mixture of semolina flour and Tipo ‘00’ pasta flour on your work surface. Roll the pasta dough in the machine as outlined here, or by hand. You want long strips the width of the machine. Cut these into manageable lengths and place on the floured work surface. Put tablespoons of the pumpkin filling at 10 cm intervals down the middle of each strip. Fold the pasta lengthways over the filling and gently press around the filling with your finger. Then, using a serrated-edged 5 cm cutter, cut around each mound, across the folds, to make semi-circles. You can re-roll and re-use the remaining pasta. You need to have about six pansoti per portion. Leave to dry slightly on a tray dusted with flour. See the photographs below.
Make the sage butter. Gently melt 80 g of the butter over a medium heat. When hot, add the sage, and fry until beginning to crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon on to paper towel and discard the butter. Separately just soften up the remaining butter and mix with the sage leaves.
To cook the pasta, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. Put the pansoti into the water in batches and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes. Remove very carefully with a slotted spoon. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and the sage butter.
