Pasta dish featuring pumpkin-filled tortelloni, seasoned with sage, and garnished with pumpkin seeds
At Flour + Water restaurant in San Francisco, whip up some exquisite, al dente and mouth-watering Tortelloni with a delightful mix of sweet and savory flavors. Chef Thomas McNaughton's secret behind these heavenly delights? Tender-firm, golden, and rich, these babies are flavored with aromatic sage and adorned with crispy, nutty toasted pumpkin seeds. This dish serves as the perfect elegant starter for a cozy fall or winter dinner party, with just the right rustic charm, but can also be enjoyed as the main course of a special vegetarian supper.
Want to impress your friends and family without breaking a sweat? These Tortelloni seem complicated to shape, but once you've got the knack of it, you'll be whipping up these little gems like a pro in no time. As a bonus, read on for a behind-the-scenes visit to McNaughton's very own test kitchen.
What you'll need:
You can rally around the classic French Cinderella pumpkin variety for its rich taste, or use a trusty butternut squash for a passable substitute. The only downside? That mighty orange hue you adore will be a touch more muted. Looking for the finest pumpkins of all? Look no further, Chowhound has you covered.
Game plan:
Prepare the pumpkin filling up to 2 days in advance for ultimate convenience. The dough rolls out best just before the tortelloni take shape, but fear not if you need a quick break - the dough can rest for up to 6 hours while you gather your strength.
- Servings: 4
- Difficulty: Mechanic-level challenge
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes (1 hr 10 minutes active)
Ingredients (17):
For the Filling:- 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted.- 2 1/4 pounds Cinderella pumpkin or butternut squash.- Olive oil.- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste.- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg.- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar.- 1 tablespoon honey (optional).- 1 3/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
To assemble the Tortelloni:- Semolina flour.- 1 batch Ravioli Pasta Dough (find it here!).
To make the sauce and finish:- 3 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds.- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.- Salt.- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter.- 6 fresh sage leaves, finely sliced.- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Instructions:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper. Waste not, want not – let's start with our brown butter! In a pan over medium heat, add the unsalted butter. Give it a minute to melt, then continue cooking, stirring like mad, until it transforms into a delicate, tan-hued substance with a fragrance that'll make you feel like you've struck culinary gold. Set this liquid gold aside for a moment.
Step 2: Grab your pumpkin, chop it in half, remove the seeds and gnarly fibers. Drizzle it with olive oil, season with your measured salt, and place it cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast this beauty until it starts to collapse under the pressure of your knife, around 45 to 60 minutes. When it's cool enough to handle, extract the flesh, leaving the rind behind. Combine with the browned butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cider vinegar in the jar of a blender, and puree until your mixture is velvety smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. In technical terms, your goal is an equilibrium between sweetness and the tangy bite of acidity. Add a tablespoon of honey if desired to enhance the pumpkin's natural sweetness.
Step 3: Assemble your delightful little parcels. Get out your semolina-dusted baking sheets. Once you've prepared your Ravioli Pasta Dough (find the recipe here), using a straight wheel cutter or sharp knife and a ruler, cut the dough into 2 3/4-inch squares. Yielding to temptation, pop 2 teaspoons of filling into the middle of the square. Fold the pasta in half, joining the opposing corners, and create a triangle. Use a spritz of water if required to seal the edges. Work your fingers down the triangle, expelling any air pockets surrounding the filling, and voila! A perfectly sealed Tortelloni waiting to be adorned with more love. Continue this process until you've used up all your dough or filling, resulting in 30 to 40 perfect parcels.
Step 4: Preheat the oven once more, this time to 350°F (180°C). Get yourself a big pot of salted water ready to boil.
Step 5: Toast your raw pumpkin seeds. Mix them with olive oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet. Pop them in the oven for 11 minutes until golden brown.
Step 6: In a separate pan, heat 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, your remaining butter, and the fresh sage leaves over high heat. Once the butter starts to sizzle, add the tortelloni and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until 80% done. Remove those babies from the heat and transfer them to the pan of butter, sage, and water with a slotted spoon. Return the pan to the heat, and let the sauce reduce until it thickly coats the back of a spoon. If it starts to dry out, add a splash or two more of pasta water to keep it luscious and saucy.
Step 7: With your masterpiece assembled, divide it between four warmed plates for all to admire. Sprinkle generously with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and your toasted pumpkin seeds for the finishing touches.
Enrichment Data:Lacking specific directions for replicating the Pumpkin Tortelloni as made at Flour + Water, prepare yourself for a delightful general recipe that brings together elements of this dish's symphony of flavors. Be prepared to create your own pasta dough, pumpkin filling, sage-infused brown butter sauce, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Ingredients:- For Pasta Dough: - 2 cups all-purpose flour. - 2 large eggs. - 1 teaspoon salt.- For Pumpkin Filling: - 1 large sugar pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, and chopped. - 1 tablespoon olive oil. - 2 cloves garlic, minced. - Salt and pepper to taste. - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.- For Sage Browned Butter Sauce: - 1/2 cup unsalted butter. - 4 to 6 fresh sage leaves. - Salt and pepper to taste.- For Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: - 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds. - 1 tablespoon olive oil. - Salt to taste.
Instructions:Step 1: Combine dry ingredients for the pasta dough in a large bowl - flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Mix together using a fork, then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roast pumpkins with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic until tender. Once cool, mash or blend to create your pumpkin filling.
Step 3: Roll out pasta dough and shape into desired tortelloni form, filling with pumpkin filling.
Step 4: In a pan, melt butter over medium heat until it browns and fragrance emerges. Add sage leaves and remove from heat.
Step 5: Season, toast pumpkin seeds and cook pasta. Toss with sage browned butter sauce, place on plates, and sprinkle with cheese and pumpkin seeds.
This dish combines the comforting flavors of pumpkin and sage, perfect for a chilly evening, and should deliver a taste similar to that served at Flour + Water.
Enjoy the simple, homemade variation of the Tortelloni from Flour + Water,)}{\ realistic rendition of the Pumpkin Tortelloni.
- Follow an accessible recipe for the pasta dough, pumpkin filling, sage-infused brown butter sauce, and toasted pumpkin seeds, enhancing your cooking skills and techniques.
- The homemade pasta dough is made from all-purpose flour, large eggs, and salt, and requires kneading for approximately 10 minutes before resting at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the pumpkin filling by roasting a large sugar pumpkin with olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced garlic until tender, then mashing or blending to create a smooth puree.
- Roll out the pasta dough and shape into tortelloni, filling with the pumpkin filling.
- To brown the butter, melt unsalted butter over medium heat until it browns and fragrance emerges, then add fresh sage leaves and remove from heat.
- Season, toast pumpkin seeds, cook pasta, and toss with sage browned butter sauce, placing on plates generously sprinkled with cheese and pumpkin seeds.
- This home-cooked dish emulates the comforting flavors of pumpkin and sage, providing a delightful alternative to the chilly evening delight served at Flour + Water.
