RecipesPasta & Co

Tortelli with pumpkin ricotta & amaretti

by Micaela Harrasser

I love tortelli because they can be stuffed with everything you want! Today I am sharing with you this recipe with a special twist on the already fabulous pumpkin and ricotta tortelli: a pinch of amaretti!

Amaretti are beloved cookies made mainly with almonds. Their flavor is super rich, and you can find many variants of these cookies depending on where you are in Italy. The 2 most common varieties are the dried cookies version (that I used here – you can find them in many common supermarkets) and the soft version (like a mini cake, by far my favorite!)

The sauces you can use for condiment also offer many possibilities: the pumpkin makes the pasta slightly sweet, perfect to pair with a creamy sauce (cooking cream) or the all-time favorite sage & butter.

The procedure is easy but takes some time. And if you have a pasta machine to get the rectangular pasta sheets thin and uniform, your life will be much easier! I suggest to make a big batch (like this) and freeze the leftovers! It’s also a fun activity to do with friends and family 😊

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Tortelli with pumpkin ricotta & amaretti

Prep Time: Cooking Time: Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

Makes about 32 tortelli:

  • 300g pumpkin/squash raw
  • 250g ricotta
  • 30g amaretti cookies grinded
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • Generous pinch of nutmeg
  • Pasta dough: 350g semolina + 150g eggs (roughly 3) + extra lukewarm water if necessary

Instructions

  1. Turn the oven on to 180C fan.
  2. Clean & finely dice the pumpkin, drizzle with flavorless oil and cook until soft, making sure it doesn’t burn.
  3. While you wait make the pasta dough: combine flour with the eggs and knead until you get a smooth and shiny ball (add lukewarm water if it feels dry).
  4. Once done, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge to rest for about 30 min.
  5. Once cooked, place the pumpkin in a small food processor and blitz to make paste, eventually add some water.
  6. Gently combine with the ricotta. Add the mix to a bowl with the crumbed amaretti and spices – adjust to taste.
  7. Once the pasta dough has rested, use your pasta machine to roll out into thin sheets (8 on my Marcato - follow the instructions/suggestions for your own machine).
  8. To assemble: place the pasta sheet on a lightly floured wide surface.
  9. On the top, gently press the ravioli/tortelli cutter and go from one side to the other lengthwise (starting in the top-left corner) to roughly know how many tortelli you can get in one row and where to add the filling.
  10. Add filling (1 tsp) in the center of the tortelli shape, as shown here:
  11. To help getting the filling out, use a wet teaspoon to scoop it out.
  12. Wet the tip of your finger and gently tap the surroundings of the filling.
  13. Fold the bottom part of the pasta sheet over the top of filling and start gently pressing around each filling (where you just added the water) to remove all air pockets and to seal the edges.
  14. Use the same ravioli/tortelli cutter and firmly press on the folded pasta sheet, being careful to not be too close to the filling.
  15. Double check every tortello is sealed so that the filling won’t escape during cooking.
  16. Eventually pinch the sides between your fingers to ensure a good seal. Place the ready-made tortelli on a lightly floured tray, apart from each other.
  17. Once done, bring plenty of water to a boil.
  18. Gently place the tortelli in the pot with the help of a ladle/wide spoon.
  19. Once they start floating set the timer for 3 min. Once ready, carefully take them out and place on the serving plate. Add the sauce of your choice (here pictured: alpro cooking cream with fresh chives sprinkled on it) and serve!

Notes

You can also use a pastry bag to add the filling. Another common sauce to use is butter (with or without rosemary or thyme). Storage: if you boil them immediately, you can store them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just reheat and add your condiment of choice. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month: just place the tray with the ravioli apart in the freezer, wait until they get hard (about 2h) then transfer to a freezing bag.

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